The ship was built by SA Ansaldo, La Spezia, Italy.[1] She was launched on 28 December 1924.[2]
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 propellers. The turbines were built by Ansaldo Sampierdarena.[1]
Historyedit
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.[1] In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to IBPS.[3] 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, Piccadilly, London. She was accompanied on her voyage by the Marina MilitaretugTeso.[4] The cargo was insured for £14,000,000.[5] Works of art on board included the painting The Birth of Venus by Botticelli,[6] the three Davids, sculptures by Donatello, Michelangelo and Verrocchio. Another sculpture was Virgin and Child by Jacopo della Quercia.[7]Leonardo da Vinci departed London on 12 April 1930 to return the artworks to Italy.[8]
During the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, Leonardo da Vinci was used as a troopship in March 1935.[9] On 28 February, Leonardo da Vinci was in collision with Viminale, which dragged her anchor during a storm at Messina, Italy. Damage to Leonardo da Vinci was slight.[10] In 1937, Leonardo da Vinci was sold to Lloyd Triestino, Trieste. On 14 February 1941,[11] she was captured by HMS Shropshire.[12] At the time, Leonardo da Vinci was at Kismayu, Italian Somaliland. She was passed to the MoWT as a war prize.[11] Her port of registry was changed to Mombasa, Kenya, under the British Flag. The Code Letters VRTV and United Kingdom Official Number 159356 were allocated. She was placed under the management of the City Line.[13]
Leonardo da Vinci was a member of Convoy HX 255, which departed New York on 2 September 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 16 September. She was carrying general cargo and was bound for Glasgow.[14] Later in 1943, Leonardo da Vinci was renamed Empire Clyde in line with the 'Empire' naming practice for captured vessels.[11] Her Code Letters were changed to GCFB and her port of registry was changed to London.[15] She was converted to a hospital ship for the British Army.[2][11]
In 1947 she was commissioned as RFA Empire Clyde, with a Royal Navy medical team aboard. In 1948 she was renamed RFA Maine, the fourth Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship to bear that name. When the Korean War broke out, Maine was initially the only hospital ship serving in the area. On 14 July 1950. Maine arrived at Pusan, South Korea, from where she ran a service carrying casualties to Fukuoka, Japan. On 10 October 1951, Maine lost a propeller whilst passing through the Shimonoseki Straits. USS Reclaimer and USS Yuma took her under tow. On 1 December 1952, USS Ashtabula caught fire at Sasebo harbour, Japan. USS Ajax was damaged. Maine treated casualties from these ships. For her service, Maine was awarded a Korean War battle honour.[2]Maine was scrapped at Hong Kong in April 1954.[2]
^ abcd"RFA Maine4". Historical RFA. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
^"LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
^"The Leonardo da Vinci". The Times. No. 45381. London. 9 December 1929. col F, p. 12.
^"The Treasure Ship". The Times. No. 45835. London. 13 December 1929. col G, p. 15.
^"The Leonardo da Vinci". The Times. No. 45384. London. 12 December 1929. col E, p. 16.
^"Italian Sculpture". The Times. No. 45401. London. 3 January 1930. col F, p. 7.
^"The Italian Art Treasures". The Times. No. 45487. London. 14 April 1930. col B, p. 9.
^"Italo-Abyssinian Dispute". The Times. No. 46997. London. 25 February 1935. col D, p. 11.
^"Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 47002. London. 2 March 1935. col F, p. 23.
^ abcd"EMPIRE - C". Mariners. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
^. The Ships List. Archived from the original on 1 May 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
^"LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
^"Convoy HX 255". Warsailors. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
^"LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
External linksedit
April 12, 2024
maine, 1924, other, ships, with, same, name, maine, other, ships, named, leonardo, vinci, leonardo, vinci, other, ships, named, empire, clyde, empire, clyde, maine, hospital, ship, which, built, 1924, ocean, liner, leonardo, vinci, ansaldo, spezia, italy, soci. For other ships with the same name see RFA Maine For other ships named Leonardo da Vinci see SS Leonardo da Vinci For other ships named Empire Clyde see SS Empire Clyde 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 Societa 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 RFA Maine c 1943HistoryNameSS Leonardo da Vinci 1925 43 SS Empire Clyde 1943 47 RFA Empire Clyde 1947 48 RFA Maine 1948 54 NamesakeLeonardo da VinciOwnerSocieta di Navigazione Transatlantica Italiana 1925 37 Lloyd Triestine 1937 41 Ministry of War Transport 1941 45 Ministry of Transport 1945 48 Admiralty 1948 54 OperatorSocieta di Navigazione Transatlantica Italiana 1925 37 Lloyd Triestine 1937 41 City Line 1941 48 Royal Fleet Auxiliary 1948 54 Port of registryGenoa 1925 41 Mombasa 1941 43 London 1943 48 Royal Fleet Auxiliary 1948 54 BuilderAnsaldo Muggiano ItalyLaunched28 December 1924Acquiredby capture 1941Commissioned1947 as RFA Empire ClydeDecommissioned1954IdentificationCode Letters NVJA 1925 34 Code Letters IBPS 1934 41 Code Letters VRTV 1941 43 Code Letters GCFB 1943 54 Italian Official Number 1306 1924 41 United Kingdom Official Number 159356 1941 54 Honours andawardsKorea 1950 FateScrapped 1954General characteristicsTypeOcean liner 1925 41 Hospital ship 1941 54 Tonnage7 432 GRT 4 096 NRTLength427 ft 1 in 130 18 m Beam52 ft 5 in 15 98 m Depth36 ft 0 in 10 97 m Installed power6 steam turbinesPropulsion2 Screw propellors Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 References 4 External linksDescription editThe ship was built by SA Ansaldo La Spezia Italy 1 She was launched on 28 December 1924 2 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 propellers The turbines were built by Ansaldo Sampierdarena 1 History editLeonardo da Vinci was built for Societa di Navigazione Transatlantica Italiana Her port of registry was Genoa The Italian Official Number 1306 and Code Letters NVJA were allocated 1 In 1934 her Code Letters were changed to IBPS 3 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 Piccadilly London She was accompanied on her voyage by the Marina Militare tug Teso 4 The cargo was insured for 14 000 000 5 Works of art on board included the painting The Birth of Venus by Botticelli 6 the three Davids sculptures by Donatello Michelangelo and Verrocchio Another sculpture was Virgin and Child by Jacopo della Quercia 7 Leonardo da Vinci departed London on 12 April 1930 to return the artworks to Italy 8 During the Second Italo Abyssinian War Leonardo da Vinci was used as a troopship in March 1935 9 On 28 February Leonardo da Vinci was in collision with Viminale which dragged her anchor during a storm at Messina Italy Damage to Leonardo da Vinci was slight 10 In 1937 Leonardo da Vinci was sold to Lloyd Triestino Trieste On 14 February 1941 11 she was captured by HMS Shropshire 12 At the time Leonardo da Vinci was at Kismayu Italian Somaliland She was passed to the MoWT as a war prize 11 Her port of registry was changed to Mombasa Kenya under the British Flag The Code Letters VRTV and United Kingdom Official Number 159356 were allocated She was placed under the management of the City Line 13 Leonardo da Vinci was a member of Convoy HX 255 which departed New York on 2 September 1943 and arrived at Liverpool on 16 September She was carrying general cargo and was bound for Glasgow 14 Later in 1943 Leonardo da Vinci was renamed Empire Clyde in line with the Empire naming practice for captured vessels 11 Her Code Letters were changed to GCFB and her port of registry was changed to London 15 She was converted to a hospital ship for the British Army 2 11 In 1947 she was commissioned as RFA Empire Clyde with a Royal Navy medical team aboard In 1948 she was renamed RFA Maine the fourth Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship to bear that name When the Korean War broke out Maine was initially the only hospital ship serving in the area On 14 July 1950 Maine arrived at Pusan South Korea from where she ran a service carrying casualties to Fukuoka Japan On 10 October 1951 Maine lost a propeller whilst passing through the Shimonoseki Straits USS Reclaimer and USS Yuma took her under tow On 1 December 1952 USS Ashtabula caught fire at Sasebo harbour Japan USS Ajax was damaged Maine treated casualties from these ships For her service Maine was awarded a Korean War battle honour 2 Maine was scrapped at Hong Kong in April 1954 2 References edit a b c LLOYD S REGISTER STEAMERS amp MOTORSHIPS PDF Plimsoll Ship Data Retrieved 25 April 2010 a b c d RFA Maine4 Historical RFA Retrieved 25 April 2010 LLOYD S REGISTER NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS PDF Plimsoll Ship Data Retrieved 25 April 2010 The Leonardo da Vinci The Times No 45381 London 9 December 1929 col F p 12 The Treasure Ship The Times No 45835 London 13 December 1929 col G p 15 The Leonardo da Vinci The Times No 45384 London 12 December 1929 col E p 16 Italian Sculpture The Times No 45401 London 3 January 1930 col F p 7 The Italian Art Treasures The Times No 45487 London 14 April 1930 col B p 9 Italo Abyssinian Dispute The Times No 46997 London 25 February 1935 col D p 11 Casualty Reports The Times No 47002 London 2 March 1935 col F p 23 a b c d EMPIRE C Mariners Retrieved 25 April 2010 Lloyd Triestino Societa di Navigazione Lloyd Triestino Societa Anonima di Navigazione Lloyd Triestino from 1936 Lloyd Triestino di Navigazione SpA The Ships List Archived from the original on 1 May 2010 Retrieved 25 April 2010 LLOYD S REGISTER NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS PDF Plimsoll Ship Data Retrieved 25 April 2010 Convoy HX 255 Warsailors Retrieved 26 April 2010 LLOYD S REGISTER NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS PDF Plimsoll Ship Data Retrieved 25 April 2010 External links editPhotos of Maine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title RFA Maine 1924 amp oldid 1214672582, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
