RFA Maine (1924)
| History | |
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| Name: |
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| Namesake: | Leonardo da Vinci |
| Owner: |
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| Port of registry: |
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| Builder: | Ansaldo, Muggiano, Italy |
| Launched: | 28 December 1924 |
| Acquired: | by capture, 1941 |
| Commissioned: | 1947, as RFA Empire Clyde |
| Decommissioned: | 1954 |
| Identification: |
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| Honours and awards: |
Korea (1950) |
| Fate: | Scrapped, 1954 |
| General characteristics | |
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| Length: | 427 ft 1 in (130.18 m) |
| Beam: | 52 ft 5 in (15.98 m) |
| Depth: | 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m) |
| Installed power: | 6 steam turbines |
| Propulsion: | 2 Screw propellors |
RFA Maine was a 7,432 GRT hospital ship which was built in 1924 as the ocean liner Leonardo da Vinci by SA Ansaldo, La Spezia, Italy for the Società di Navigazione Transatlantica Italiana. In 1941, she was captured by the British at Kismayu, Italian Somaliland. Declared a prize of war, she was passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Clyde, serving as a hospital ship for the British Army during the Second World War. In 1948, ownership was passed to the Admiralty and she entered service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary as RFA Maine. She served during the Korean War and was scrapped in 1954.
The ship was built by SA Ansaldo, La Spezia, Italy. She was launched on 28 December 1924.
The ship was 427 feet 1 inch (130.18 m) long, with a beam of 52 feet 5 inches (15.98 m) and a depth of 36 feet 0 inches (10.97 m). She had a GRT of 7,432 and a NRT of 4,096. She was propelled by six steam turbines, double reduction geared, driving twin screw propellors. The turbines were built by Ansaldo Sampierdarena.
Leonardo da Vinci was built for Società di Navigazione Transatlantica Italiana. Her port of registry was Genoa. The Italian Official Number 1306 and Code Letters NVJA were allocated. In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to IBPS. In December 1929, Leonardo da Vinci was caught in a storm off Cape Finisterre, Spain whilst transporting a number of valuable Italian works of art which were to be exhibited at Burlington House, Picadilly, London. She was accompanied on her voyage by the Marina Militare tug Teso. The cargo was insured for £14,000,000. Works of art on board included the painting The Birth of Venus by Botticelli, the three Davids, sculptures by Donatello, Michelangelo and Verrocchio. Another sculpture was Virgin and Child by Jacopo della Quercia.Leonardo da Vinci departed London on 12 April 1930 to return the artworks to Italy.
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