ARA Bahia Blanca (CL-1910)
Ex-Kolberg class cruiser purchased from the Allied War Reparations Commission. Oldest of the cruisers purchased, this ship was bought for virtually scrap value. Very little was done to the ship for the next 20 years as it plodded its way up and down the Argentine coast on patrols while the ship was used as a training cruiser. Originally armed with 12x4.1", during WW1 the ship was rearmed with 6x5.9".
Various refits were undertaken, the most major of which removed the four broadside mounted 5.9" and replaced these with two centreline mounted guns which still gave the ship the same four gun broadside. The area the 5.9" were removed from were replaced with 3.4" AA guns. A pair of 37mm AA guns were added in 1935, with a final 4 20mm being added in 1938 (two in the bridge wings, and two beside the after mast). All available ships were used in the initial strike on the Malvinas, and the Bahia Blanca was used as a troop transport. Then as a mobile gun platform moving around the islands supplying gunfire support to the troops if they encountered opposition that required fire support.
Museum scale model of Augsburg 1917-18 with single 5.9".
| Displacement | 4,400 tons std, 6,000 tons full load | |
| Length | 428 ft | |
| Breadth | 46 ft | |
| Draught | 18 ft | |
| Machinery | 2 shaft Steam Turbines 20,000shp | |
| Speed | 25 knots | |
| Range | 5000 miles at 12 knots | |
| Armour | 2.6" side, 2" deck, 1" turrets | |
| Armament | As received - 1924 6 x 5.9" (6x1) |
with refits to 1938 4 x 5.9" (4x1) 4 x 3.4" (4x1) 2 x 37mm (2x1) 4 x 20mm (4x1) |
| Mines | nil | nil |
| Torpedoes | 4 x 450mm (2x2) above water 2 x 450mm (2x1) below water |
4 x 21" (2x2) |
| Complement | 370-380 | |
| Notes | ARA Bahia Blanca (ex Augsburg) | |
As built with single 4.1".