NRP Gonçalves Zarco

Gonçalves Zarco was a sloop of the Gonçalo Velho class. They were based on the Royal Navy's Bridgewater-class sloops, but with a heavier armament and omitting the minelaying equipment of the British ships.[1] Gonçalves Zarco's hull was 81.69 metres (268 ft 0 in) long overall and 76.20 m (250 ft 0 in) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 10.82 m (35 ft 6 in) and a draught of 3.43 m (11 ft 3 in). Two Yarrow boilers fed Parsons geared steam turbines, giving 2,000 shaft horsepower (1,500 kW) and driving two propeller shafts, with a design speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). 470 tons of oil were carried giving a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph).[2] They had a standard displacement of 950 tonnes (930 long tons) and 1,414 t (1,392 long tons) at full load. They had a crew of 142 initially, but this was later reduced to 128.[2][3]

Armament consisted of three 120-millimetre (4.7 in) guns in single mounts on the ship's centreline, with two forward and one aft. Four 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom anti-aircraft (AA) guns were fitted, while four depth charge throwers provided an anti-submarine armament.[2] In 1943, the 40 mm guns were removed and replaced by five single-mounted 20 mm (0.79 in) AA cannon.[3]

In 1930, Portugal set up a ten-year plan to modernise its navy. As part of this programme, a contract was placed with the British shipbuilder Hawthorn Leslie for two sloops, to be named Gonçalo Velho and Gonçalves Zarco. Gonçalves Zarco was laid down on 9 October 1931, and launched on 28 November 1932.[3] Construction was completed in May 1933.[3] It was among the ships that formed the core of the fleet until the late 1940s. They were tasked with coastal defence and defence of Portugal's colonial possessions.[1] Following World War II, the ship was reclassified as a frigate. Portugal acquired new ships in the postwar era and Gonçalves Zarco was discarded in 1969.[4]

• Blackman, Raymond V. B., ed. (1953). Jane's Fighting Ships 1953–54. London: Sampson, Low and Marston. OCLC 913556389.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen & Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
• Roberts, John (1980). "Portugal". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.