ARA Almirante Brown (C-1)

For other ships with the same name, see ARA Almirante Brown.

History
Argentina
Name:	Almirante Brown
Namesake:	Guillermo Brown
Builder:	Cantieri navali Odero, Genoa-Sestri Ponente
Laid down:	12 October 1927
Launched:	28 September 1929
Commissioned:	18 July 1931
Identification:	C-1
Fate:	Scrapped 1962
General characteristics
Class & type:	Veinticinco de Mayo-class cruiser
Displacement:	6,800t normal; 9,000t full load
Length:	560.3 ft (170.8 m)
Beam:	58.5 ft (17.8 m)
Draught:	15.3 ft (4.7 m)
Installed power:	85,000 hp (63,000 kW)
Propulsion:	Parsons turbine, 2 screws
Speed:	32 knots (59 km/h)
Range:	8,000 nmi (15,000 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h)
Complement:	600
Armament:	6 × guns 12 × DP guns 6 × 40 mm AA guns 6 × torpedo tubes
Armour:	Deck: 1 in (25 mm) Sides: 2.8 in (71 mm) Conning tower: 2.3 in (58 mm) Turrets: 2 in (51 mm)
Aircraft carried:	2 × Grumman J2F Duck
Aviation facilities:	Catapult launcher

Almirante Brown was a Veinticinco de Mayo-class heavy cruiser in service with the Argentine Navy during the Second World war. The ship was named in honour of Admiral Guillermo Brown, the Father of the Argentine Navy.

Design and construction

Almirante Brown was built by Odero in Genoa (Italy), laid down 27 November 1927, launched on 11 August 1929, and completed 11 July 1931. Her total displacement was 6,800 tons. The ship was broadly similar to the Italian Trento class but was armed with three twin 7.5-in gun turrets as against four 8-inch guns. Another important difference was the repositioning of the boilers, which gave the ship a single funnel. On trials the cruiser reached its contracted speed of 32 knots (59 km/h). As completed the ship had a short funnel but it was subsequently raised. During the Second World War the ship finally received the catapult which had been included in the original design. The catapult and crane were carried on the centreline between the funnel and mainmast, with two Grumman floatplanes. When built six twin 100-mm anti-aircraft guns were mounted at forecastle deck level but these were later replaced by twin 40-mm Bofors guns.

Almirante Brown was decommissioned on 27 June 1961 and sold for breaking up in Italy in 1962.

References

• David Miller, Illustrated Directory of Warships - from 1860 to the present day. (Salamander Books, London, 2001)
• M.J. Whitley, Cruisers of World War II, An International Encyclopedia (1995) Arms and Armour Press
• Purnell's Illustrated encyclopedia of Modern Weapons and Warfare

See also

• List of cruisers
• List of ships of the Argentine Navy

Further reading

• Burzaco, Ricardo. Acorazados y Cruceros De La Armada Argentina. Eugenio B, Buenos Aires, 1997. ISBN 987-96764-0-8 (in Spanish)
• Arguindeguy, Pablo. Apuntes sobre los buques de la Armada Argentina (1810-1970). Comando en Jefe de la Armada, Buenos aires, 1972. ISBN n/d (in Spanish)