The 500-ton Oil Fuel Lighter was a class of oil fuel

lighter A lighter is a portable device which creates a flame, and can be used to ignite a variety of items, such as cigarettes, gas lighter, fireworks, candles or campfires. It consists of a metal or plastic container filled with a flammable liquid or ...

s built for the

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...

between 1913 and 1916.Wilson, Michael

Design

The lighters were in length, depth and breadth and cost about £18,000 each to build. The hull included 10 oil tanks, separated by air spaces and

cofferdams A cofferdam is an enclosure built within a body of water to allow the enclosed area to be pumped out. This pumping creates a dry working environment so that the work can be carried out safely. Cofferdams are commonly used for construction or re ...

, which held a capacity of 550 tons of liquid fuel oil. Sleeping accommodation and a saloon were also provided in the forward portion. Two sets of diesel engines with centrifugal pumps discharged the fuel oil from the tanks.

Oil fuel lighters

* ''OFL No. 1'', built by

Mort's Dock Mort's Dock is a former dry dock, slipway, and shipyard in Balmain, New South Wales, Australia. It was the first dry dock in Australia, opening for business in 1855 and closing more than a century later in 1959. The site is now parkland. His ...

under contract to

Cockatoo Island Dockyard The Cockatoo Island Dockyard was a major dockyard in Sydney, Australia, based on Cockatoo Island. The dockyard was established in 1857 to maintain Royal Navy warships. It later built and repaired military and battle ships, and played a key role ...

, laid down in 1913 and completed in 1916. Caught fire at Stokes Hill Wharf, Darwin during the

bombing of Darwin The Bombing of Darwin, also known as the Battle of Darwin, on 19 February 1942 was the largest single attack ever mounted by a foreign power on Australia. On that day, 242 Japanese aircraft, in two separate raids, attacked the town, ships in ...

in February 1942. * ''OFL No. 2'', built by Mort's Dock under contract to Cockatoo Island Dockyard, laid down in 1913 and completed in 1916. * ''OFL No. 3'', built by Poole and Steel under contract to Cockatoo Island Dockyard, laid down in 1914 and completed in 1915. * ''OFL No. 4'', built by Poole and Steel under contract to Cockatoo Island Dockyard, laid down in 1914 and completed in 1915.

Notes

References

*{{Citation , title=Profile No. 4, Royal Australian Navy 21st century warships , author1=Wilson, Michael , author2=Australia. Navy Office. Naval Historical Records Section , author3=Australia. Navy Office. Public Affairs , year=1994 , publisher=Topmill, Marrickville, N.S.W , isbn=0-646-22841-2 Tankers of the Royal Australian Navy Ships built in New South Wales