MINAS GERAES battle cruiser 1910

[aukepalmhof]

On 15 December 1986, Brazil issued two stamps which depicts military uniforms, one stamp depict an air force lieutenant around 1930, the other stamp depict a navy uniform also from around 1930, in the background of that stamp you can find the battlecruiser MINAS GERAES.

Built as a battle-cruiser under yard No 791 by Armstrong Whitworth on the Elswick yard, Newcastle-on-the-Tyne for the Brazilian Navy.
1906 Ordered. Initially laid down in November 1906, finally laid down on 17 April 1907.
10 September 1908 launched as the MINAS GERAIS, christened by Senhora Regis de Oliveira, the wife of the Brazilian minister to Great Britain. She was named after a state in Brazil.
She was designed by J.R.Perrett, one sistership the SAO PAULO.
Displacement 19,280 tons standard, 21,200 ton full load. Dim. 165.5 x 25.3 x 7.6m. (draught), length on waterline 152.4 meter.
Powered by two sets VTE steam turbines, manufactured by Vickers, designed ihp 24,000, twin shafts, speed 21 knots.
During the trials and by full power of 27,212 ihp. She reached a speed of 21.43 knots.
Steam was provided by 18 Babcock and Wilcock watertube boilers.
Capacity of bunker coal for 800 tons normal and 2,305 tons maximum, oil fuel more as 364 tons.
Range by a speed of 10 knots, 10,000 mile.
Armament: 12 – 12 inch BL guns in sex turrets, 22 – 4.7 inch Q.F., 8 – 3 pdr Q.F. and four MG when built.
Crew 900.
24 September 1909 final trials.
05 January 1910 completed and commissioned in the Brazilian Navy. Building cost $8,863,842.

When completed she with her sister were the most heavily armed warships of the world.
April 1910 arrived in Rio de Janeiro.
During November the same year the crew together with the crew of the cruiser BAHIA and several smaller vessels crews, mutinied (called the sailors revolt) because of the harsh discipline and poor pay on the fleet, they killed the captain and some other officers. The short mutiny was successful, the sailors gained important concessions from the Brazilian Government.
During World War I was she part of a squadron patrolling the Brazilian coastal waters.
Between 1919 and 1920 was she refitted at the Brooklyn Navy yard at New York.
During 1924 when the crew of her sister SAO PAULO mutinied, the MINAS GERAES was loyal to the Brazilian Government, she took not much action during this mutiny, firing only one shot.
1931 Laid up at Rio de Janeiro, during that time she was refitted from a coal to an oil burner. Thorneycroft boilers being installed, thereafter she got only one funnel. Her guns were altered to angle higher.
1938 Again commissioned.
1940 During World War II was she sent to Salvador, Brazil to be used as a floating battery. She took not an active part in this war, returned to Rio de Janeiro in 1945.
She was disarmed after a few years and sold for scrap to Italian ship breakers in 1953.
She left under tow of two Dutch tugs de ZWARTE ZEE and OOSTZEE from Rio de Janeiro on 11 March 1954 bound for La Spezia, Italy, where she arrived on 22 April.
She was scrapped the same year.

Brazil 1986 50c sg2264, scott?

Source: Warships for Export, Armstrong Warships 1867-1927 by Peter Brook. Log Book Vol. 16 page 22.
Zeeslepers onder de Driekleur 1945-1980 by Drs. C. de Haas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_ ... nas_Geraes