RFA King Salvor (A291)

History
United Kingdom
Name	RFA King Salvor
Ordered	10 January 1941
Builder	Wm. Simons & Co. Ltd., Renfrew
Yard number	752
Laid down	17 May 1941
Launched	18 May 1942
Commissioned	17 July 1942
Decommissioned	1960
Renamed	Kingfisher, April 1954
Fate	Sold to the Argentine Navy, 1960
History
Argentina
Name	Tehuelche
Acquired	December 1960
Renamed	Guardiamarina Zicari in 1963
Fate	Disposed 1974
General characteristics
Class and type	King Salvor-class salvage vessel
Displacement	1,780 long tons (1,809 t) full load
Length	217 ft 11 in (66.42 m)
Beam	37 ft 11 in (11.56 m)
Draught	15 ft 7 in (4.75 m)
Propulsion	2 × 3-cylinder triple expansion steam engines
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	72
Armament	4 × 20 mm AA guns (4×1)

RFA King Salvor (A291), initially HMS King Salvor (W191), was the lead ship of a class of 12 salvage vessels of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. A 13th ship was completed as the submarine rescue vessel HMS Reclaim for the Royal Navy.

King Salvor was built by Wm. Simons & Co. Ltd. of Renfrew as Allegiance, launched on 18 May 1942, and commissioned on 17 July 1942.

The ship converted into a submarine rescue bell and target ship, and renamed HMS Kingfisher in April 1954.

Decommissioned in 1960, the ship was sold to the Argentine Navy in December 1960 and renamed Tehuelche in 1961, Guardiamarina Zicari in 1963, and disposed of in 1974.

Further reading

• Thomas, Steve (November 2022). "Fire and Water: Britain's Fast Submarine Program". Marine News Supplement: Warships. 76 (11): S599 – S613. ISSN 0966-6958.

External links

• King Salvor class
• King Salvor class at uboat.net