WesWorld

Summary
Corvettes are small, relatively lightly-armed vessels under 1,000 tons standard that are employed in patrol and antisubmarine duties.

Capitan Frey-class Corvettes
- Capitan Frey (DL-07) - 1937, refitted 1943.
- Capitan Guzman (DL-08) - 1937, refitted 1943.
- Capitan Carranza (DL-09) - 1937, refitted 1943.
- Teniente Susa (DL-10) - 1937, refitted 1943.
- Teniente Estrada (DL-11) - 1937, refitted 1944.
- Almirante Rebolledo (DL-12) - 1937, refitted 1944.
- General de la Lastra (DL-13) - 1937, refitted 1944.
- Teniente Molinas (DL-14) - 1937, refitted 1944.

Capitan Frey class, Chilean Corvette laid down 1937 (Refitted 1943)
These eight ships were originally intended to be "light destroyers". Over the past few years, the Armada's determined that the Freys are just too slow and too lightly-armed for frontline duties, but most of all, they're some of the worst seaboats in the Navy. This has resulted in their posting in Arica, where the problem is less acute. Strategically, their role is the escort of coastal convoys for protection against submarines and surface raiders. They are not as well-equipped for this role as the Armada would prefer.

In view of this, the Armada proposed to rebuild the class as dedicated fast antisubmarine frigates, equipping them with radar and updated sonar. This results in the ships losing their aft 110mm mount (the Armada feels 2x110mm is more than sufficient to fight any submarine), and seeing their obsolete 4x37mm mounts and the 6x20mm all replaced by two quad 1.1" automatics.

Displacement:
733 t light; 763 t standard; 865 t normal; 947 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
253.82 ft / 246.06 ft x 26.90 ft x 11.15 ft (normal load)
77.37 m / 75.00 m x 8.20 m x 3.40 m

Armament:
2 - 4.33" / 110 mm guns (1x2 guns), 40.61lbs / 18.42kg shells, 1943 Model
Dual purpose guns in a deck mount with hoist
on centreline forward
8 - 1.10" / 27.9 mm guns (2x4 guns), 0.67lbs / 0.30kg shells, 1943 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships
4 - 0.50" / 12.7 mm guns in single mounts, 0.06lbs / 0.03kg shells, 1937 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 87 lbs / 39 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 250

Armour:
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 1.38" / 35 mm 0.98" / 25 mm 1.18" / 30 mm
2nd: 0.59" / 15 mm - -

- Conning tower: 1.57" / 40 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 18,771 shp / 14,003 Kw = 30.64 kts
Range 6,500nm at 12.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 184 tons

Complement:
79 - 103

Cost:
£0.494 million / $1.977 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 11 tons, 1.3 %
Armour: 10 tons, 1.2 %
- Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 7 tons, 0.8 %
- Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Conning Tower: 3 tons, 0.4 %
Machinery: 399 tons, 46.1 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 258 tons, 29.8 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 132 tons, 15.3 %
Miscellaneous weights: 55 tons, 6.4 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
257 lbs / 117 Kg = 6.3 x 4.3 " / 110 mm shells or 0.2 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.12
Metacentric height 0.9 ft / 0.3 m
Roll period: 12.1 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 53 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.28
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 0.83

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.410
Length to Beam Ratio: 9.15 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 18.25 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 72 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 64
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 21.33 ft / 6.50 m
- Forecastle (25 %): 16.73 ft / 5.10 m
- Mid (41 %): 16.73 ft / 5.10 m (8.86 ft / 2.70 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 8.86 ft / 2.70 m
- Stern: 8.86 ft / 2.70 m
- Average freeboard: 12.55 ft / 3.82 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 166.2 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 112.4 %
Waterplane Area: 4,255 Square feet or 395 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 73 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 29 lbs/sq ft or 139 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.51
- Longitudinal: 3.24
- Overall: 0.61
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
Poor seaboat, wet and uncomfortable, reduced performance in heavy weather

Breakdown of Miscellaneous Weights:
- 15 tons for Colocolo launchers
- 5 tons for hydrophones
- 5 tons for depth charges (24x420-lb bombs)
- 30 tons for dradis and electronics suite

Ships in Class:
- Capitan Frey (DL-07) - 1937, refitted 1943.
- Capitan Guzman (DL-08) - 1937, refitted 1943.
- Capitan Carranza (DL-09) - 1937, refitted 1943.
- Teniente Susa (DL-10) - 1937, refitted 1943.
- Teniente Estrada (DL-11) - 1937, refitted 1944.
- Almirante Rebolledo (DL-12) - 1937, refitted 1944.
- General de la Lastra (DL-13) - 1937, refitted 1944.
- Teniente Molinas (DL-14) - 1937, refitted 1944.




Drawing by Hooman, colored by me.