Rio de Janeiro class
Both ships of this class were purchased in 1936 after the conflict between Brazil/Argentina and South Africa ended. Both ships were heavily damaged, Rio the more severe of the two. Rio was sunk in shallow waters and rated at 35%, rebuilt in 1941 and re-named General Francisco Santander. The Recife was heavily damaged and rated 58%, rebuilt in 1941 and re-named Simon Bolivar. In the rebuild performed in Atlantean yards, their hulls received extensive repairs (more so in Rio's case) and torpedo bulges were added. The 8.2" main belt was further increased to 9.8" and the torpedo bulkhead increased from 1.77" to 2.95". Their main battery was retained and reconditioned but all other guns were removed. Atlantean 5.1" DP mounts replaced her secondary turrets on a 1 for 1 basis. Seven twin 40 mm mounts and 24x20mm guns were added for AA defence. The ships also replaced their 21" torpedo's with an equal amount of newer tubes. The ships superstructure was extensively rebuilt and resembled the Atlantean Neptune class battleships in silhouette. The 5.12" conning tower was removed and replaced with 40mm splinter protection, the conning position itself was moved to the forward tower structure. New main, secondary and local directors were used along with the latest electronic equipment. Other cosmetic changes included moving the boat stowage from aft of the second funnel to between both funnels and new cranes for both lifeboats and stern aircraft facility's.
drawing by Alvama
Simon Bolivar (ex-Recife) in Brazilian service.
drawing by seawolf
As rebuilt) Simon Bolivar, Colombian (Ex Brazilian) Battlecruiser laid down 1930
Displacement:
24,668 t light; 25,802 t standard; 28,052 t normal; 29,853 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
752.64 ft / 750.00 ft x 80.00 ft (Bulges 95.00 ft) x 26.50 ft (normal load)
229.40 m / 228.60 m x 24.38 m (Bulges 28.96 m) x 8.08 m
Armament:
6 - 12.00" / 305 mm guns (3x2 guns), 925.00lbs / 419.57kg shells, 1930 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, majority forward, 1 raised mount - superfiring
10 - 5.10" / 130 mm guns (5x2 guns), 66.33lbs / 30.09kg shells, 1941 Model
Dual purpose guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on side ends, majority aft, 1 raised mount - superfiring
12 - 3.95" / 100 mm guns (6x2 guns), 30.81lbs / 13.98kg shells, 1941 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
14 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm guns (7x2 guns), 1.95lbs / 0.88kg shells, 1930 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, 5 raised mounts
24 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (9 mounts), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1930 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, 4 raised mounts
Weight of broadside 6,616 lbs / 3,001 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 150
8 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm above water torpedoes
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 9.84" / 250 mm 534.78 ft / 163.00 m 11.48 ft / 3.50 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Upper: 1.57" / 40 mm 534.78 ft / 163.00 m 13.12 ft / 4.00 m
Main Belt covers 110 % of normal length
- Torpedo Bulkhead and Bulges:
2.95" / 75 mm 534.78 ft / 163.00 m 23.29 ft / 7.10 m
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 8.27" / 210 mm 5.12" / 130 mm 8.27" / 210 mm
2nd: 2.95" / 75 mm 1.57" / 40 mm 2.95" / 75 mm
3rd: 1.18" / 30 mm - -
4th: 0.79" / 20 mm - -
5th: 0.58" / 15 mm - -
- Armour deck: 4.72" / 120 mm, Conning tower: 1.57" / 40 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 138,099 shp / 103,022 Kw = 31.25 kts
Range 15,000nm at 12.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 4,051 tons
Complement:
1,083 - 1,408
Cost:
£8.805 million / $35.220 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 781 tons, 2.8 %
Armour: 9,212 tons, 32.8 %
- Belts: 2,951 tons, 10.5 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 1,360 tons, 4.8 %
- Armament: 1,311 tons, 4.7 %
- Armour Deck: 3,559 tons, 12.7 %
- Conning Tower: 31 tons, 0.1 %
Machinery: 4,185 tons, 14.9 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 10,191 tons, 36.3 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 3,384 tons, 12.1 %
Miscellaneous weights: 300 tons, 1.1 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
39,652 lbs / 17,986 Kg = 45.9 x 12.0 " / 305 mm shells or 6.9 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.18
Metacentric height 4.9 ft / 1.5 m
Roll period: 18.0 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 71 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.36
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.15
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has raised forecastle
Block coefficient: 0.520
Length to Beam Ratio: 7.89 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 27.39 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 53 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 62
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 5.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 30.12 ft / 9.18 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 23.25 ft / 7.09 m (21.00 ft / 6.40 m aft of break)
- Mid (50 %): 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
- Stern: 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
- Average freeboard: 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 96.0 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 136.6 %
Waterplane Area: 40,718 Square feet or 3,783 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 116 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 158 lbs/sq ft or 771 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 1.01
- Longitudinal: 1.11
- Overall: 1.02
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
As built, Colombian (ex-Brazilian) Battlecruisers laid down 1930
Displacement:
23,609 t light; 24,734 t standard; 26,930 t normal; 28,687 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
752.64 ft / 750.00 ft x 80.00 ft (Bulges 91.20 ft) x 26.50 ft (normal load)
229.40 m / 228.60 m x 24.38 m (Bulges 27.80 m) x 8.08 m
Armament:
6 - 12.01" / 305 mm guns (3x2 guns), 925.00lbs / 419.57kg shells, 1925 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, majority forward, 1 raised mount - superfiring
15 - 4.72" / 120 mm guns (5x3 guns), 55.12lbs / 25.00kg shells, 1930 Model
Quick firing guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on side ends, majority aft, 1 raised mount - superfiring
24 - 3.00" / 76.2 mm guns (12x2 guns), 14.00lbs / 6.35kg shells, 1930 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, evenly spread, 8 raised mounts - 2 superfiring
16 - 1.38" / 35.0 mm guns (8x2 guns), 1.32lbs / 0.60kg shells, 1930 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
8 - 0.54" / 13.7 mm guns (2x4 guns), 0.11lbs / 0.05kg shells, 1930 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on centerline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts
Weight of broadside 6,735 lbs / 3,055 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 150
8 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm above water torpedoes
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 8.27" / 210 mm 534.78 ft / 163.00 m 11.48 ft / 3.50 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Upper: 1.57" / 40 mm 534.78 ft / 163.00 m 13.12 ft / 4.00 m
Main Belt covers 110 % of normal length
- Torpedo Bulkhead and Bulges:
1.77" / 45 mm 534.78 ft / 163.00 m 23.29 ft / 7.10 m
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 8.27" / 210 mm 5.12" / 130 mm 8.27" / 210 mm
2nd: 2.95" / 75 mm 1.57" / 40 mm 2.95" / 75 mm
3rd: 1.18" / 30 mm - -
4th: 0.79" / 20 mm - -
5th: 0.59" / 15 mm - -
- Armour deck: 4.72" / 120 mm, Conning tower: 5.12" / 130 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 142,500 shp / 106,305 Kw = 31.75 kts
Range 15,000nm at 12.00 kts (Bunkerage = 3,953 tons)
Complement:
1,050 - 1,366
Cost:
£8.763 million / $35.053 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 791 tons, 2.9 %
Armour: 8,381 tons, 31.1 %
- Belts: 2,552 tons, 9.5 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 817 tons, 3.0 %
- Armament: 1,355 tons, 5.0 %
- Armour Deck: 3,559 tons, 13.2 %
- Conning Tower: 99 tons, 0.4 %
Machinery: 4,318 tons, 16.0 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 9,918 tons, 36.8 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 3,321 tons, 12.3 %
Miscellaneous weights: 200 tons, 0.7 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
26,435 lbs / 11,991 Kg = 30.5 x 12.0 " / 305 mm shells or 3.7 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.14
Metacentric height 4.6 ft / 1.4 m
Roll period: 17.9 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.44
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.13
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
Block coefficient: 0.520
Length to Beam Ratio: 8.22 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 27.39 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 53 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 62
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 5.00 degrees
Stern overhang: -2.00 ft / -0.61 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 30.12 ft / 9.18 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
- Mid (50 %): 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
- Stern: 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
- Average freeboard: 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 101.9 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 142.4 %
Waterplane Area: 40,718 Square feet or 3,783 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 114 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 155 lbs/sq ft or 758 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.99
- Longitudinal: 1.10
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform