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FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
CHILE
CAPITAL SHIPS
CONSTITUCIÓN battleships
Ships
Name |
No |
Yard No | Builder |
Laid down |
Launched |
Comp |
Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constitución | Armstrong, Elswick, UK | 26.2.1902 | 12.1.1903 | 6.1904 // --- | completed for United Kingdom (Swiftsure) | ||
| Libertad | Vickers, Barrow, UK | 26.2.1902 | 15.1.1903 | 6.1904 // --- | completed for United Kingdom (Triumph) |
Technical data
| Displacement normal, t | Constitución: 11800 Libertad: 11985 |
|---|---|
| Displacement full, t | |
| Length, m | 132.9 pp 146.2 oa |
| Breadth, m | 21.6 |
| Draught, m | 7.72 |
| No of shafts | 2 |
| Machinery | 2 3-cyl VTE, 12 large-tube Yarrow boilers |
| Power, h. p. | 12500 |
| Max speed, kts | 19 |
| Fuel, t | coal 2050 |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | 6200(10) |
| Armour, mm | belt: 178 - 76, bulkheads: 152 - 51, gun houses: 254 - 203, barbettes: 254 - 51, battery and casemates: 178, decks: 76 - 25, CT: 279 |
| Armament | Constitución: 2 x 2 - 254/45 Armstrong S, 14 x 1 - 190/50 Armstrong A, 14 x 1 - 76/50 Armstrong 14pdr QF, 6 x 1 - 57/50 6pdr Armstrong, 2 - 450 TT (beam, 9) Libertad: 2 x 2 - 254/45 Vickers A, 14 x 1 - 190/50 Vickers B, 14 x 1 - 76/50 Vickers 14pdr QF, 6 x 1 - 57/50 6pdr Vickers, 2 - 450 TT (beam, 9) |
| Complement | 800 |
Project history
The two 11800t battleships Constitutión and Libertad were ordered by Chile in late 1901, and were designed by Sir Edward Reed. They were purchased by Great Britain on 3.12.1903 before they had been delivered, Constitutión being renamed Swiftsure and Libertad becoming Triumph.
Ship protection
The belt, 2.4m deep, 178mm thick amidships reducing to 152mm, 76mm and 64mm fwd and 152mm and 76mm aft, stopped short of the stern where it was closed by a 76mm bulkhead. The redoubt between the belt and battery armour extended from the fwd to the aft barbette with 178mm sides and 152-51mm bulkheads. Central battery had 178mm sides and 152mm end bulkheads and was divided into individual gun flats by 25mm bulkheads. Casemates also had 178mm protection. The main protective deck over the belt was 38mm amidships and 76mm at the ends, and the upper deck over the battery was 25mm. The gun houses had 254mm faces and 203mm walls and barbettes reduced to 76mm and 51mm behind the side armour.
