WesWorld

The Naval Constructors Board and the Scientific – Technical Research Committee have been less busy recently than recent years as the Navy settles down and continues to rebuild the damage caused by the recent war.

The Navy is lacking in support vessels and this is a constant hinderance to Argentine operations.
This has led to the design of two tanker classes, a destroyer depot ship and a repair ship for the Navy. Since 1937 the Navy has been pursuing yearly construction plans trying to eke out the best value for money while the bulk of the budget is going towards the two new German-built battlcruisers.

1939 Plan
4 1939 Class DD, 2 Ferre Class, two coastal tankers and 6 Project 611L3 AA escorts

The tanker classes are;

Project 707 Coastal Tanker
400 tons, 43.5 x 7 x 4.2m, 8 kts, 1x 500hp diesel, 250 tons fuel capacity
Project 710 Large Tanker
5,750 tons (22,050 tons full load), 158 x 20.75 x 9.2m, 15kts, two steam turbines 10,000hp

The 1939 Destroyer is a continuation of the 1936 and 1938 Class destroyers and six will be built by 1941.

Project 421 1939 Class, Argentina Destroyer laid down 1939

Displacement:
1,594 t light; 1,686 t standard; 1,936 t normal; 2,136 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
383.82 ft / 377.30 ft x 35.43 ft x 12.30 ft (normal load)
116.99 m / 115.00 m x 10.80 m x 3.75 m

Armament:
6 - 4.53" / 115 mm guns (3x2 guns), 55.12lbs / 25.00kg shells, 1933 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline ends, majority forward, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
4 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns (2x2 guns), 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1933 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
8 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1933 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts - superfiring
Weight of broadside 339 lbs / 154 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 275
8 - 23.6" / 600 mm above water torpedoes

Armour:
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.59" / 15 mm 0.79" / 20 mm
2nd: 0.39" / 10 mm - -
3rd: 0.39" / 10 mm - -

- Conning tower: 0.98" / 25 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 35,000 shp / 26,110 Kw = 33.25 kts
Range 6,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 451 tons

Complement:
145 - 189

Cost:
£1.197 million / $4.788 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 36 tons, 1.9 %
Armour: 18 tons, 0.9 %
- Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 14 tons, 0.7 %
- Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Conning Tower: 3 tons, 0.2 %
Machinery: 856 tons, 44.2 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 600 tons, 31.0 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 342 tons, 17.7 %
Miscellaneous weights: 85 tons, 4.4 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
659 lbs / 299 Kg = 14.2 x 4.5 " / 115 mm shells or 0.4 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.31
Metacentric height 1.7 ft / 0.5 m
Roll period: 11.4 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 50 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.50
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.06

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.412
Length to Beam Ratio: 10.65 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 22.31 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 64 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 47
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 17.00 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 (20 %): 19.69 ft / 6.00 m
- Mid (43 %): 19.69 ft / 6.00 m (11.48 ft / 3.50 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 11.48 ft / 3.50 m
- Stern: 11.48 ft / 3.50 m
- Average freeboard: 15.14 ft / 4.62 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 163.4 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 77.8 %
Waterplane Area: 8,605 Square feet or 799 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 85 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 37 lbs/sq ft or 179 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.50
- Longitudinal: 1.67
- Overall: 0.56
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
Room for accommodation and workspaces is cramped

Class Names: Cervantes, Juan de Garray, Catamarca, San Juan, Santa Cruz, Spiro

Misc Weight: Includes eight 600mm torpedoes, 4 DCT and two racks (40 DC) and Langhiri-Florisson ASDIC


The new destroyer tender and repair ship share the same basic hull and two depot ships and one repair ship will be built by 1942.

Project 708/ 708A, Argentina Destroyer Tender/ Repair Ship laid down 1938

Displacement:
10,140 t light; 10,375 t standard; 11,052 t normal; 11,594 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
562.37 ft / 557.74 ft x 85.30 ft x 18.86 ft (normal load)
171.41 m / 170.00 m x 26.00 m x 5.75 m

Armament:
2 - 3.94" / 100 mm guns (1x2 guns), 30.42lbs / 13.80kg shells, 1933 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mount
on centreline forward
8 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1933 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side ends, evenly spread
8 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1938 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts - superfiring
Weight of broadside 75 lbs / 34 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 300

Armour:
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.59" / 15 mm -
2nd: 0.39" / 10 mm - -
3rd: 0.39" / 10 mm - -

Machinery:
Diesel Internal combustion generators,
Electric motors, 2 shafts, 15,500 shp / 11,563 Kw = 20.00 kts
Range 8,500nm at 12.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 1,218 tons

Complement:
538 - 700

Cost:
£2.380 million / $9.519 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 9 tons, 0.1 %
Armour: 5 tons, 0.0 %
- Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 5 tons, 0.0 %
- Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Machinery: 424 tons, 3.8 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 3,951 tons, 35.8 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 912 tons, 8.3 %
Miscellaneous weights: 5,750 tons, 52.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
23,107 lbs / 10,481 Kg = 757.3 x 3.9 " / 100 mm shells or 3.2 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.13
Metacentric height 5.0 ft / 1.5 m
Roll period: 16.0 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 61 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.00
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.84

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck
Block coefficient: 0.431
Length to Beam Ratio: 6.54 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 23.62 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 35 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 33
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 10.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 26.25 ft / 8.00 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 22.97 ft / 7.00 m
- Mid (50 %): 22.97 ft / 7.00 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 12.30 ft / 3.75 m (22.97 ft / 7.00 m before break)
- Stern: 12.30 ft / 3.75 m
- Average freeboard: 21.63 ft / 6.59 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 70.4 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 243.1 %
Waterplane Area: 29,898 Square feet or 2,778 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 165 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 96 lbs/sq ft or 468 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.95
- Longitudinal: 1.60
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

Project 708: Cabo San Antonio and Cabo San Francisco de Paula are destroyer tenders equipped with stores, a bakery, hospital, one furnace, a foundry and machine shops with milling and grinding machines.

Project 708A Cabo San Gonzalo is a repair ship equipped with a foundry, two furnaces, a coppersmiths shop, plumbers shop , carpenters shop, heavy and light machine shops and electrical and torpedo repair shops.

I can't say how pleased I am to see auxiliaries being built! Particularly by an ally!

The one concern I'd have is the sheer size of several of these vessels: the large tanker, the destroyer depot ship, and the repair ship. All of them are VERY large, which of course drives up their costs. Do they NEED to be that big? The repair ship, maybe, if you're going to include a foundry (I'm guessing so a base can, effectively, be created in some unpopulated fiord in the south), but the other units might be replaced with somewhat smaller vessels.

I agree, the tanker has to be big since it will be feeding the new battlecruisers and carriers at sea. I've revised the Project 708 to be smaller but really looking at most tenders 8,500-10,500 tons seems the norm even for converted merchants. The French Jules Verne and Pollux were pretty small but I don't want something that's too small and useless for extended operations. It's pretty loney down the south coast of Argentina.

Project 708/ 708A, Argentina Destroyer Tender/ Repair Ship laid down 1938

Displacement:
7,531 t light; 7,710 t standard; 8,227 t normal; 8,641 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
414.44 ft / 410.11 ft x 78.74 ft x 19.69 ft (normal load)
126.32 m / 125.00 m x 24.00 m x 6.00 m

Armament:
2 - 3.94" / 100 mm guns (1x2 guns), 30.42lbs / 13.80kg shells, 1933 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mount
on centreline forward
8 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1933 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side ends, evenly spread
8 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1938 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts - superfiring
Weight of broadside 75 lbs / 34 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 300

Armour:
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.59" / 15 mm -
2nd: 0.39" / 10 mm - -
3rd: 0.39" / 10 mm - -

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 14,500 shp / 10,817 Kw = 20.12 kts
Range 8,000nm at 12.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 932 tons

Complement:
431 - 561

Cost:
£1.844 million / $7.374 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 9 tons, 0.1 %
Armour: 5 tons, 0.1 %
- Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 5 tons, 0.1 %
- Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Machinery: 397 tons, 4.8 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 2,620 tons, 31.8 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 696 tons, 8.5 %
Miscellaneous weights: 4,500 tons, 54.7 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
14,797 lbs / 6,712 Kg = 485.0 x 3.9 " / 100 mm shells or 2.5 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.09
Metacentric height 4.1 ft / 1.3 m
Roll period: 16.3 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 60 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.01
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck
Block coefficient: 0.453
Length to Beam Ratio: 5.21 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 20.25 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 48 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 30
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 10.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 24.61 ft / 7.50 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 22.97 ft / 7.00 m
- Mid (50 %): 22.97 ft / 7.00 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 11.48 ft / 3.50 m (22.97 ft / 7.00 m before break)
- Stern: 11.48 ft / 3.50 m
- Average freeboard: 21.37 ft / 6.52 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 76.7 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 209.6 %
Waterplane Area: 20,649 Square feet or 1,918 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 153 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 88 lbs/sq ft or 431 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.89
- Longitudinal: 2.71
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

Project 708: Cabo San Antonio and Cabo San Francisco de Paula are destroyer tenders equipped with stores, a bakery, hospital, a foundry and machine shops with milling and grinding machines.

Project 708A Cabo San Gonzalo is a repair ship equipped with a foundry, two furnaces, a coppersmiths shop, plumbers shop , carpenters shop, heavy and light machine shops and electrical and torpedo repair shops.