ARA Tucuman (BC-1914 (rebuilt 1934-36))
The ex German battlecruiser Derfflinger arrived in Argentinian waters in 1920
and in a moving ceremony the ship was renamed Tucuman after one of the Argentine
provinces. This ship more than some of the others was exactly what the
Argentinians wanted, fast, powerful, well armoured and as shown in WW1 the ship
was from the best battlecruiser class of WW1. This is also one of my personal
favourite ships.
| Displacement | 26,600 tons std, 31,200 full load |
| Length | 689ft |
| Breadth | 95.5 ft |
| Draught | 29.5 ft |
| Machinery | 4 shaft Steam Turbines 76,000shp |
| Speed | 26.5 knots |
| Range | 5600 miles at 12 knots |
| Armour | 11.8" side, 1.2" deck, 10.8" turrets |
| Armament | 8 x 12" (4x2) 12 x 5.9" (12x1) 6 x 88mm (6x1) |
| Aircraft | nil |
| Torpedoes | 4 x 50cm submerged |
| Complement | 1150 |
| Notes |
After 12 years of service in the Argentine Navy the ship was taken in hand at the Bahia Blanca Navy yards for its mid-life refurbishment that happened to so many of the WW1 capital ships. Starting with a first class ship, so much was done to the vessel that it reappeared almost unrecognisable from the original ship.
| Displacement | 28,500 tons std, 34,800 full load |
| Length | 709 ft (689ft orig) |
| Breadth | 95.5 ft |
| Draught | 29.5 ft |
| Machinery | 4 shaft Steam Turbines 110,000shp |
| Speed | 30 knots |
| Range | 8000 miles at 15 knots |
| Armour | 11.8" side, 5.1" deck, 10.8" turrets |
| Armament | 8 x 12" (4x2) 16 x 88mm (8x2) 28 x 20mm (4x4 12x1) |
| Aircraft | nil |
| Torpedoes | nil |
| Complement | 1350 |
| Notes |
The refurbishment started at the bow where a new 'Atlantic' bow was fitted to aid seakeeping and extended the length of the ship. The gun deck of casemate 5.9" were completely removed and plated over. The old superstructures, funnels and deck armour were removed, which allowed access for removal and replacement of the propulsion systems. New AA guns and directors were fitted into the new fore and aft bridge superstructures. Light AA weaponry kept being added for the rest of the ships life (yet to be ascertained how long that will be).
ex-German ships arriving in Argentinian waters. Derfflinger and Kaiser classes.
ex Derfflinger as she arrived in Argentinian waters in 1920.
Drawings I did using Rurik-2's originals. Unfortunately Rurik-2 uses a
non-standard colour scheme which looks rather odd when set against the more
modern German drawings.
I have tried more than once to ftransform the Derfflinger into a modern capital
ship. Hopefully I have gotten it right this time.
