Dédalo (1920) Spanish Armada (1920-1940) The world’s first “helicopter carrier” The title, which is abusive given the hybrid nature of the Autogyro, predated the WW2 IJN Akitsu Maru, which also used autogyro and was in addition an amphibious assault ship in the modern sense. At least this was the first ship in Europe to deploy … Read more
Spain 1925-1950 – Principe Alfonso, Almirante Cervera, Miguel de Cervantes The interwar Spanish Cruisers Called different names by historians according either to their launching or completion date, these three Spanish cruisers were a departure of WW1 design, and built in Spain, at Ferrol NyD (Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval). They were light cruisers with strong … Read more
Spanish Armada – 25 destroyers (1885-1947) Spanish destroyers: Pioneers From Audaz to Alvaro de Bazan: Argentine ARA Juan de Garay & Cevantes of the Churucca class (1926) Agreed: Audaz is only arguably the very first destroyer, and Alvaro de Bazan was a frigate, although of the size and capabilities of a destroyer. Anyway, this a … Read more
Spain – Méndez Núñez, Blas de Lezo. The ‘C-class’ Spanish cruisers: Blas de Lezo class Blas de Lezo in 1929 The Méndez Núñez and Blas de Lezo were a second class of british ‘C-class’ cruisers, made with British-supplied equipments in Spain, at Ferrol. The first world war unfortunately domed these cruisers ordered just when the … Read more
Spanish Armada – 17 submersibles (1865-1945) Iberian pioneers of Submersibles The submarine has many fathers. Among the pioneering nations, Spain has been at the forefront of early submarine development. Narcis Monturiol was the inventor of no less than the first fully functional engine-driven submarine. The Ictineo I and II however appeared at a time the … Read more
Spanish Republic – Nationalists Canarias, Baleares (1936) The Spanish 8-in cruisers The two heavy cruisers Canarias and Baleares were the first of this kind built in Spain. They were ruled by the Washington Treaty, of the classic “8×8 inches – 10,000 tons” type, whereas Spain never signed the treaty. Proceeding as usual in consulting British … Read more
Spain Reina Victoria Eugenia aka Republica (1931) aka Navarra (1936) Too late for the Great war The Reina Victoria Eugenia was a single ship, close in superficial appearance to the following Mendez Nunez class, but totally different ships nonetheless, so the latter will be seen separately. They are part of these ships ordered before or … Read more
Spanish Armada Between the great war and civil war After the crushing defeats of 1898 in the hands of the US Navy and the loss of the remnants of the Spanish Empire, the Armada was plunged into disarray. The seven years that followed the battle have seen Spain slowly recuperating of the neglect and speculation … Read more
