RFA Cherryleaf (A82)

For other ships of the same name, see RFA Cherryleaf.

Career
Name:	RFA Cherryleaf
Builder:	Rheinstahl Nordseewerke[1]
Yard number:	321[1]
Launched:	16 October 1962
Commissioned:	February 1973[1]
Decommissioned:	1980[1]
Renamed:	Overseas Adventurer (1962-73 and 1980-81), Petrostar XIV[2] or Petrostar XVI[1] (1981-87)
Homeport:	London (with LOF)
Fate:	Set on fire by AGM-65 Maverick missile strike in 1986[1]
Status:	Scrapped 1987[1]
General characteristics
Class and type:	Leaf-class tanker
Tonnage:	14,027 long tons (15,710 ST; 14,252 t) gross 7,764 long tons (8,696 ST; 7,889 t) net 18,957 long tons (21,232 ST; 19,261 t) deadweight[1]
Length:	559 ft 4 in (170.48 m)
Beam:	72 ft (22 m)
Draught:	29 ft 6 in (8.99 m)
Installed power:	8400 bhp[1]
Propulsion:	7-cylinder MAN diesel[1]
Speed:	14.5 knots (16.7 mph; 26.9 km/h)[1]

RFA Cherryleaf (A82) was a Leaf-class small fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, the third ship to bear this name.

She was launched in Emden,^[1] Germany in 1962 as Overseas Adventurer for a subsidiary of London & Overseas Freighters (LOF). She was bareboat chartered for the RFA in February 1973 and renamed RFA Cherryleaf.^[1]

In 1980 she was returned to LOF and her name reverted to Overseas Adventurer.^[1] In 1981 LOF sold her to Petrostar Co Ltd of Saudi Arabia who renamed her either Petrostar XIV^[2] or Petrostar XVI.^[1]

On 5 April 1986 during the Iran–Iraq War she was off Halul Island^[2] en route from Bahrain to Sharjah when Iranian helicopters^[1] hit her with AGM-65 Maverick missiles.^[2] Her accommodation was gutted by fire and four crewmembers were killed.^[1] She was towed to Sharjah where she was declared a total loss^[1] and laid up for disposal on 9 April 1986.^[1] She was sold to a Taiwanese shipbreaker and arrived Kaohsiung for demolition on 24 January 1987.^[1] Demolition began on 19 February 1987.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u} "London & Overseas Freighters 1941-97". LOF-News. http://www.lof-news.co.uk/History%20&%20Headers%201-2-3/lof1.htm. Retrieved 29 June 2010. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} ACIG, 2004, page 26

Sources and further reading

• ACIG team (2004). "Tanker War, 1980-88". Arabian Peninsula & Persian Gulf Database (ACIG): 26. http://s188567700.online.de/CMS/index.php. 
• Sedgwick, Stanley (1993) [1992]. Kinnaird, Mark; O'Donoghue, K.J.. eds. London & Overseas Freighters, 1948-92: A Short History. World Ship Society. ISBN 0905617681. 
• Sedgwick, Stanley; Sprake, R.F. (1977). London & Overseas Freighters Limited 1949-1977. World Ship Society. ISBN 0905617010.