Drawing as carrier made by Gollevainen and Alexander van Maanen
The Canarias was designed by a former Royal Navy Director of Naval Construction who used the basic design of what later became the British County-class. In fact is was the British Kent-design from sir Philips Watts which was used as the basic design. In the original design she was to be fitted out with two funnels, instead she got one enormous funnel. Rebuilt in 1952-1953 this single funnel was removed and replaced by two.
Dimensions 636 x 64 x 17½ feet with a displacement of 10,670 tons (standard)-12,230 tons (full load); other sources gave 10,113 tons respectively 13,070 tons. The main armament were 8-8” guns (4 turrets), and further 8-4’7”, 12-37mm anti aircraft guns, 3-20mm anti aircraft guns and finally 12-21”torpedo tubes. The latter were removed in the 1940’s. Her side armour was 2”. Her crew numbered 1,042 men. Speed 33 knots supplied by 90,000 shaft hp supplied by 8 Yarrow boilers. Ordered 31 March 1928. The building begun at Soc. Espanol de Cons. Navale, Ferrol 15 August 1928, launched 28 May 1931 and the completed in September 1936. The Canarias was in the 1950’s and 60’s further refitted/improved and finally scrapped in 1978 when projects in 1949 to 1951 for a carrier rebuild were cancelled.
Her sister ship Baleares was torpedoed and lost 6 March 1938 in the Spanish Civil War.
