RFA Tideflow

For other ships with the same name, see RFA Tiderace.

RFA Tideflow (A97) in August 1962
History
United Kingdom
Name	RFA Tideflow
Laid down	30 August 1953
Launched	30 August 1954 as Tiderace
In service	25 January 1956
Out of service	November 1975
Renamed	28 June 1958 Tideflow
Identification	IMO number: 5360998 Pennant number: A97
Fate	Scrapped, 1976
Notes
General characteristics
Class and type	Tide-class replenishment oiler
Displacement	26,000 long tons (26,417 t)
Length	583 ft 4 in (177.80 m)
Beam	71 ft 4 in (21.74 m)
Draught	32 ft 1 in (9.78 m)
Propulsion	2 × Parmetrada steam turbines 3 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers
Speed	17 knots (20 mph; 31 km/h)
Complement	90 RFA

RFA Tideflow (A97) was a Tide-class replenishment oiler of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), the naval auxiliary fleet of the United Kingdom. She enter service with the RFA in 1956. She was originally named Tiderace, but was later renamed Tideflow in 1958 to avoid confusion with other members of the class. She was taken out of service in 1976 and scrapped.

Design and construction

Tideflow had a normal complement of 100 Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel. Her design incorporated the latest abeam rigs with automatic tension winches and included an astern fuelling rig. The ship was able to carry 8,500 tons of Furnace Fuel Oil, 4,600 tons of diesel oil and 1,900 tons of avcat.

The construction of Tideflow was carried out in the north east of England by J.L. Thompson and Sons. She was laid down on 30 August 1953 and was launched the following year, on 30 August 1954. She displaced fully loaded, 26,000 tons, was just over 583 ft in overall length and was capable of 17 knots.

Decommissioning and fate

Following nineteen years service, Tideflow was laid up at HMMB Devonport during November 1975 and she was added to the 'Disposal List' on 8 January 1976. Just under a fortnight later, she was advertised for sale in The Times newspaper, on 17 January. She was towed out of Devonport on 4 May and arrived six days later at Bilbao, Spain, for breaking.

References

Bibliography

• Adams, Thomas A; Smith, James R (2005). The Royal Fleet Auxiliary A Century of Service. Chatham Publishing, Lionel Leventhal Ltd, London. ISBN 1-86176-259-3.
• Puddefoot, Geoff (2009). The Fourth Force The Untold Story of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary since 1945. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-046-8.