The Catamarca class consisted of two destroyers built for the Argentine Navy during the 1910s in Germany because Argentina lacked the industrial facilities needed to build them. Completed in 1912, the sister ships were initially assigned duties as training ships. Catamarca spent much of her career as a flotilla leader while Jujuy spent more time in reserve or on training duties. They remained in service until 1947 when they were placed in reserve. The ships were stricken from the navy list in 1956 and sold for scrap in 1959–1960.
 Jujuy c. 1938
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Catamarca-class destroyer |
| Builders | Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel, German Empire |
| Operators |  Argentine Navy |
| Preceded by | Corrientes class |
| Succeeded by | La Plata class |
| Built | 1911–1912 |
| In commission | 1912–1956 |
| Completed | 2 |
| Retired | 2 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Type | Destroyer |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 289 ft 2 in (88.1 m) (o/a) |
| Beam | 27 ft (8.2 m) |
| Draught | 17 ft (5.2 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 2 shafts; 2 × steam turbines |
| Speed | 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) |
| Range | 3,000 nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement | 150 |
| Armament |
|
Design and description edit
The Catamarca-class ships were ordered in 1910 as part of a program of a dozen destroyers, two pairs from German shipyards, and four each from Britain and France. The ships had to be ordered from foreign shipyards because Argentina lacked the facilities to build warships of that size itself. The German-built ships were the only ones delivered as the British-built destroyers were sold to the Royal Hellenic Navy in 1912; the French ships were still under construction when World War I began in August 1914 and were purchased by the French Navy. The Catamarcas were 289 feet 2 inches (88.1 m) long overall with a beam of 27 feet (8.23 m) and a draught of 17 feet (5.18 m). The ships displaced 995 long tons (1,011 t) at normal load and 1,357 long tons (1,379 t) at full load. They were powered by two Curtis-AEG steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by two mixed-firing Thornycroft-Schulz boilers that used both coal and fuel oil. The turbines, rated at 25,765 shaft horsepower (19,213 kW), were intended to give a maximum speed of 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph). The destroyers carried 250 long tons (254 t) of coal and 110 long tons (112 t) of fuel oil to give them a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).[1]
The main armament of the Catamarca class consisted of four 50-caliber 4-inch (102 mm) guns in single mounts. One gun was located on the forecastle, another between the rear and center funnels and the final pair before and after of the rear superstructure. The ships were also armed with four 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes on rotating single mounts, two on each broadside amidships. The ships' complement consisted of 150 officers and men.[1]
Ships edit
| Ship | Builder[1] | Laid down[2] | Launched[1] | Commissioned[1] | Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARA Catamarca | Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel | 1911 | 1911 | 13 April 1912 | Scrapped, 1959 |
| ARA Jujuy | 4 March 1912 | 15 April 1912 | Sold for scrap, 1960 |
Citations edit
Sources edit
- Arguindeguy, Pablo E. Apuntes sobre los buques de la Armada Argentina (1810–1970). Comando en Jefe de la Armada, Buenos Aires, 1972. OCLC 5730374 (in Spanish)
- Scheina, Robert L. (1985). "Argentina". In Gray, Randal (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 400–403. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.