HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën (C802)

For other ships with the same name, see HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën.

HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën was a De Zeven Provinciën-class cruiser of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Laid down in 1939, construction was interrupted by World War II and the ship was only commissioned in 1953 with the identification number C802. She served until 1976 when she was purchased by Peru and renamed Aguirre. With the Peruvian Navy she served until 1999 and was scrapped in 2000.

De Zeven Provinciën before 1962
History
Netherlands
Name	De Zeven Provinciën
Builder	Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij, Rotterdam
Laid down	5 September 1939
Launched	22 August 1950[1]
Commissioned	18 November 1953
Identification	C802
Fate	Sold to Peruvian Navy in August 1976, scrapped 2000
General characteristics
Class and type	De Zeven Provinciën-class cruiser
Displacement	9,681 tons standard 12,250 tons full load
Length	187.32 m (614.6 ft)
Beam	17.25 m (56.6 ft)
Draught	6.72 m (22.0 ft)
Propulsion	4 Werkspoor-Yarrow three-drum boilers 2 De Schelde Parsons geared steam turbines 2 shafts; 85,000 shp
Speed	32 kn (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Range	6,900 nmi (12,800 km; 7,900 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	926
Armament	8 × Bofors 152/53 twin guns 8 × 57 mm twin guns 8 × Bofors 40/70 mm single guns 1962 rebuild: 4 × Bofors 152 mm guns 6 × Bofors 57 mm guns 4 × Bofors 40 mm guns 4 × 152 mm, 2 × 57 mm, and 4 × 40 mm guns replaced by a RIM-2 Terrier launcher (1962)
Armor	50–76 mm (2.0–3.0 in) belt 50–125 mm (2.0–4.9 in) turrets 50–125 mm (2.0–4.9 in) conning tower

Design

De Zeven Provinciën in 1956

De Zeven Provinciën was armed with eight 152 mm (6.0 in) guns in double turrets, 8 × 57 mm in twin turrets and 8 × 40 mm machine guns. The rear turrets were replaced in 1962 with a RIM-2 Terrier SAM system. She was 185.7 m (609 ft) long, had a beam of 17.25 m (56.6 ft) and a draft of 6.85 m (22.5 ft). She displaced 12,250 t and could achieve a speed of 32.2 kn (59.6 km/h; 37.1 mph). She had a crew of 957.^[2]

During her service with the Peruvian Navy she was converted to a helicopter cruiser. To do this the remaining turrets at the back of the ship were removed to make space for a hangar and a flight deck big enough to support 4 helicopters.^[3]

History

In 1962, the cruiser was upgraded to carry the RIM-2 Terrier missile system, which replaced the three rear turrets.

Construction started in 1939 as Kijkduin, but was interrupted by World War II. She was renamed Eendracht in 1940 and De Ruyter in 1945. Her sister ship was launched in 1944 as De Zeven Provinciën, but the ships swapped to their final names in 1950. She was completed in 1953 and served the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1950 to 1975. She was sold to Peru in August 1976 and was renamed BAP Aguirre on 24 February 1978.

Notes

1. Chesneau p.389
2. "Koninklijke Marine - "Geschiedenis Hr. Ms. De Zeven Provinciën"" (in Dutch). Retrieved 2006-07-09.
3. B. Hunter, The Statesman's Year-Book 1994-95 (2016) p. 1083

References

• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946. Greenwich: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 978-0-85177-146-5.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen; Budzbon, Przemysław (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-55750-132-5.
• van Dijk, A. (1988). "Re: The Dutch Shipbuilding Program of 1939". Warship International. XXV (3): 225. ISSN 0043-0374.
• van Dijk, Anthonie (1989). "Re: The Dutch Shipbuilding Program of 1939". Warship International. XXVI (2): 107. ISSN 0043-0374.
• von Münching, L. L. (1976). "H.NL.M.S. De Zeven Provinciën C-802". Warship International. XIII (4): 251–269.