Pará-class destroyer (1908)

The Pará-class destroyers were a class of ten destroyers built for the Brazilian Navy between 1908 and 1910 by Yarrow in the Scotstoun district of Glasgow, Scotland. All were named after states of Brazil. The class closely resembled the British River-class destroyers.[1] All ten ships were ordered under the 1907 Naval Programme and exceeded the design speed during sea trials, the best being Parana. The class proved very maneuverable with a turning circle of 375 yards at full speed.[1] The class served in both World War I and World War II.

The crew of Amazonas manning the rails during Independence Day celebrations, 1923.
Class overview
NamePará class
BuildersYarrow[1]
Operators Brazilian Navy
Preceded byTamayo
Succeeded byMaranhão
Built1908–1910[1]
In commission1908–1946[1]
Planned10[1]
Completed10[1]
Retired10[1]
General characteristics
TypeDestroyer
Displacement560 long tons (570 t)[1]
Length240 ft (73 m)[1]
Beam23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)[1]
Draught7 ft 10 in (2.39 m)[1]
PropulsionVertical triple expansion steam engines, 2 shafts[1]
Speed27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) design,[1] 28.736 knots (53.219 km/h; 33.069 mph); at trials.[1]
Range3,700 nmi (6,900 km; 4,300 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement130
Armament

Design

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Line drawing of the Pará class

The Pará class was designed for a crew of 104 men,[1] powered by double shaft, four-cylinder VTE engines[1] with two coal-fired Yarrow boilers which produced 8,000 shaft horsepower (6,000 kW). With a capacity of 140 tons of coal their range was 3,700 nautical miles (6,900 km; 4,300 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph). They were armed with two 4 in (102 mm) guns, four 3-pounder guns, and two 18 in (460 mm) torpedo tubes.[1]

All units exceeded their 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) design speed; the best trial speed was Parana, at 28.736 knots (53.219 km/h; 33.069 mph). The ships were divided into ten watertight compartments by bulkheads from the outer bottom plating to the upper deck. The class proved to be very maneuverable; the diameter of the turning circle was 375 yd (343 m; 1,125 ft) at full speed and 340 yd (310 m; 1,020 ft) at two-thirds speed.[1]

Ships

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Mato Grosso steaming at high speed

Ten ships were ordered under the 1907 Naval Program intended to modernize the navy; all built by Yarrow.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 406

Sources

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  • Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-907-3. OCLC 12119866.
  • Scheina, Robert L. (2003). Latin America's Wars: Volume II, The Age of the Professional Soldier, 1900–2001. Washington D.C.: Brassey's. ISBN 1-57488-452-2. OCLC 53078537.