RFA Cherryleaf (A82)
![]() Cherryleaf in August 1975 | |
History | |
---|---|
Name | |
Owner | London and Overseas Bulk Carriers (1963–81)[1] Petrostar Co Ltd (1981–86)[2] |
Operator |
|
Port of registry | |
Builder | Nordseewerke[1] |
Yard number | 321[1] |
Launched | 16 October 1962[1] |
Completed | 21 February 1963[1] |
Decommissioned | 1980 (RFA)[2] |
Renamed | |
Identification |
|
Fate | Constructive total loss 1986[3] scrapped 1987[1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Leaf-class tanker |
Tonnage | |
Displacement | 18,560 t (18,267 long tons) |
Length | 559 ft 4 in (170.48 m)[1] |
Beam | 72 ft (22 m)[1] |
Draught | 29 ft 6 in (8.99 m)[1] |
Depth | 39 ft 4 in (11.99 m) |
Installed power | 8,400 bhp[1] |
Propulsion | 7–cylinder[4] MAN diesel[1] |
Speed | 14.5 knots (26.9 km/h)[1] |
RFA Cherryleaf (A82) was a Leaf-class small fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), the naval auxiliary fleet of the United Kingdom, in service from 1973 to 1980.
History
[edit]She was built by Nordseewerke in Emden, Germany and launched in 1962 as Overseas Adventurer for London and Overseas Bulk Carriers,[1] a subsidiary of London & Overseas Freighters (LOF). She was bareboat chartered for the RFA in February 1973 and renamed RFA Cherryleaf.[5]
In 1980 she was returned to LOF and her name reverted to Overseas Adventurer.[2] In 1981 LOF sold her to Petrostar Co Ltd of Saudi Arabia who renamed her Petrostar XVI.[2]
On 5 April 1986 during the Tanker War phase of the Iran–Iraq War she was off Halul Island[2] en route from Bahrain to Sharjah when Iranian helicopters[2] hit her with AGM-65 Maverick missiles.[3] Her accommodation was gutted by fire and four crewmembers were killed.[2] She was towed to Sharjah where she was declared a constructive total loss on 9 April 1986[2] and laid up for disposal.[4] She was sold to National Ship Demolition Co Ltd of Taiwan, arrived Kaohsiung on 24 January 1987 and her demolition began on 19 February 1987.[2]
References
[edit]Sources and further reading
[edit]- ACIG (2004). "Tanker War, 1980-88". Arabian Peninsula & Persian Gulf Database. ACIG: 26.[dead link]
- Sedgwick, Stanley; Kinnaird, Mark; O'Donoghue, K.J. (1993) [1992]. London & Overseas Freighters, 1948-92: A Short History. World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-68-1.
- Sedgwick, Stanley; Sprake, R.F. (1977). London & Overseas Freighters Limited 1949-1977. World Ship Society. ISBN 0905617037.
External links
[edit]- "London & Overseas Freighters 1941-97". LOF–News.[dead link]