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HMAS Kimbla

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History
Australia
BuilderWalkers
Laid down4 November 1953
Launched23 March 1956
Commissioned26 March 1956
Decommissioned15 February 1985
General characteristics
Displacement733 t (721 long tons)
Length54.56 m (179 ft 0 in)
Beam9.75 m (32 ft 0 in)
Draught3.66 m (12 ft 0 in)
Speed10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement40

HMAS Kimbla was a boom defence vessel of the Royal Australian Navy from 1956 until 1985.

History

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HMAS Kimbla was built by Walkers of Maryborough, Queensland, being commissioned on 26 March 1956. It operated in Australian and New Guinea waters, laying and maintaining moorings. Built as a boom defence vessel, it was converted to an oceanographic research ship in 1959.[1][2]

Kimbla participated in a number of salvage operations. In June 1960 it was involved in the recovery of a Trans Australia Airlines Flight 538 followed in November 1961 by Ansett-ANA Flight 325.[3] In October 1962 it was involved in the recovery of a RAN Sea Venom aircraft off Jervis Bay and in 1978 of a General Dynamics F-111C off New Zealand.[1][2]

On 31 August 1979, a crewman was washed overboard in heavy seas while the ship was leaving Port Phillip Bay.[4] When it was decommissioned on 15 February 1985, Kimbla was the last RAN ship to use a reciprocating steam engine as a form of propulsion.[2][5]

References

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  1. ^ a b Gillett, Ross; Graham, Colin (1977). Warships of Australia. Rigby. p. 243. ISBN 0 7270 0472 7.
  2. ^ a b c HMAS Kimbla Royal Australian Navy
  3. ^ Fuselage of Fokker Wreck Seen Beneath Sea The Age 13 June 1960
  4. ^ Search ends Canberra Times 2 September 1979 page 3
  5. ^ Kimbla leaves the RAN Navy News 8 February 1985 page 1