Spanish battleship España

Illustration of España in 1912
History
Spain
Name:	España
Builder:	SECN, El Ferrol
Laid down:	6 December 1909
Launched:	5 February 1912
Commissioned:	23 October 1913
Fate:	Ran aground off Cape Tres Forcas 26 August 1923, partially scrapped in situ
General characteristics
Class and type:	España-class battleship
Displacement:	Normal: 15,700 t (15,500 long tons) Full Load: 16,450 t (16,190 long tons)
Length:	140 m (460 ft) o/a
Beam:	24 m (79 ft)
Draft:	7.8 m (26 ft)
Propulsion:	12 × Yarrow coal-fired boilers 4 × turbines 4 × shafts
Speed:	19.5 knots (36.1 km/h)
Range:	5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h)
Complement:	854
Armament:	8 × 305 mm (12 in)/50 cal guns 20 × 102 mm (4 in) guns 4 × 3-pounder guns 2 × machine guns
Armor:	Belt armor: 203 mm (8 in) Deck: 38 mm (1 in) Turrets: 203 mm Conning tower: 254 mm (10 in)

España was a Spanish dreadnought battleship, the lead ship of her class. She had two sister ships, Alfonso XIII and Jaime I. España was built by the SECN shipyard; she was laid down in December 1909, launched in February 1912, and completed in October 1913. She was armed with a main battery of eight 305 mm (12.0 in) guns and had a top speed of 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph)

España served in the 1st Squadron after her commissioning, along with her two sisters. Spain remained neutral during World War I, so the Spanish fleet did not see action during the conflict. España provided gunfire support during the Rif War in the early 1920s. During these operations, she ran aground off Cape Tres Forcas, Morocco in August 1923. The Navy was unable to raise the ship, and severe storms destroyed the wreck in 1924, which led the Navy to abandon her.

España was 132.6 m (435 ft) long at the waterline and 140 m (460 ft) long overall. She had a beam of 24 m (79 ft) and a draft of 7.8 m (26 ft); her freeboard was 15 ft (4.6 m) amidships. Her propulsion system consisted of four-shaft Parsons steam turbines and twelve Yarrow boilers. The engines were rated at 15,500 shaft horsepower (11,600 kW) and produced a top speed of 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph). España had a cruising radius of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). Her crew consisted of 854 officers and enlisted men.