120ft Motor Lighter

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}

{{Use Australian English|date=April 2018}}

{{Infobox ship begin}}

{{Infobox ship image

| Ship image=Australian Army 120 foot lighter AV 2050.jpg

| Ship caption=Australian Army 120ft motor lighter AV2050 during World War II

}}

{{Infobox ship class overview

| Name= 120ft Motor Lighter

| Builders=

| Operators=* Royal Australian Navy

  • Australian Army
  • Royal Australian Air Force
  • Royal Navy
  • United States Army

| Class before=

| Class after=

| Subclasses=

| Cost=

| Built range=

| In service range=

| In commission range=

| Total ships building=

| Total ships planned=

| Total ships completed=~50

| Total ships cancelled=

| Total ships active=

| Total ships laid up=

| Total ships lost=

| Total ships retired=

| Total ships scrapped=

| Total ships preserved=

}}

{{Infobox ship characteristics

|Hide header=

|Header caption=

|Ship class=

|Ship type= Motor Lighter

|Ship tonnage=250 tons

|Ship displacement=

|Ship length= {{Convert|120|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|Ship beam= {{Convert|24|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|Ship height=

|Ship draught= {{Convert|9|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|Ship depth=

|Ship hold depth=

|Ship decks=

|Ship deck clearance=

|Ship power=

|Ship propulsion=Diesel engines

|Ship speed=

|Ship range=

|Ship endurance=

|Ship capacity=

|Ship complement=

|Ship sensors=

|Ship EW=

|Ship armament=

|Ship armour=

|Ship notes=

}}

The 120 ft Motor Lighter was a class of lighters designed by the Australian Shipbuilding Board during World War II and built for the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Navy and the US Army.Alsop, p.56.Wilson, p.32.

Design

The lighters were {{convert|120|ft|m}} in length, {{convert|9|ft|m}} depth and {{convert|24|ft|m}} breadth and cost about $120,000 each to build.

Operators

=Royal Australian Navy=

The Royal Australian Navy ordered three refrigerator, two stores and nine water variants.

class="wikitable"

! Ship

BuiltBuilderServiceNotes
MRL 251align="Center"|align="Left"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
MRL 252align="Center"|align="Left"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
MRL 253align="Center"|align="Left"| Johnson's Shipyard, Melbournealign="Center"|align="Left"| Renamed HMAS Gayundah in 1969.
MRL 254align="Center"|align="Left"|align="Center"|align="Left"| Order cancelled
MRL 255align="Center"|align="Left"|align="Center"|align="Left"| Order cancelled
MSL 251align="Center"|align="Left"| Tulloch Limited, Rhodesalign="Center"|align="Left"| Loaned to Department of External Territories, sank during a storm on 23 June 1950, with 17 lives lost.
MSL 252align="Center"|align="Left"| State Dockyard, Newcastlealign="Center"| 1946–1973align="Left"| Converted to a survey vessel in 1958, renamed HMAS Paluma. Paid off on 30 March 1973, and sold in 1974.
MWL 251align="Center"|align="Left"|align="Center"|align="Left"| Renamed HMAS Gunga Din.
MWL 252align="Center"|align="Left"|align="Center"|align="Left"| Order cancelled.
MWL 253align="Center"|align="Left"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
MWL 254align="Center"|align="Left"|align="Center"|align="Left"| Broken up at Homebush Bay.
MWL 255align="Center"|align="Left"| State Dockyard, Newcastlealign="Center"|align="Left"|
MWL 256align="Center"|align="Left"| State Dockyard, Newcastlealign="Center"|align="Left"| Renamed HMAS Lonsdale, later HMAS Gunga Din II.
MWL 257align="Center"|align="Left"|align="Center"|align="Left"| Sold for scrapping in 1985.
MWL 258align="Center"|align="Left"|align="Center"|align="Left"| Order cancelled.
MWL 259align="Center"|align="Left"|align="Center"|align="Left"| Order cancelled.

=Australian Army=

Thirty one vessels were ordered by the Australian Army.

class="wikitable"

! Ship

BuiltBuilderServiceNotes
AV 2050 Elspethalign="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2051align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2052align="Center"|align="Left"| Johnson's Shipyard, Melbournealign="Center"| 1945align="Left"| For auction in 1948.
AV 2053align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2054align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2055align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2056 Evelynalign="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2057align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2058align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2059align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2060align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2061align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2062align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2063align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2064align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2065align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2066 Ellenalign="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"| Transferred to Royal Navy as MSL 41
AV 2067 Endeavouralign="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"| Transferred to Royal Navy as MSL 42
AV 2068align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"| For auction incomplete in 1948.
AV 2069align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2070align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2071align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2072align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2073align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2074align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2075 Emilyalign="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2076align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2077align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2078align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2079align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
AV 2080 Ebbtidealign="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"| Transferred to Royal Navy as MRL 21

=Royal Australian Air Force=

The Royal Australian Air Force ordered five vessels.

=Royal Navy=

class="wikitable"

! Ship

BuiltBuilderServiceNotes
MSL 41align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
MSL 42align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|
MRL 21align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Center"|align="Left"|

=United States Army=

class="wikitable"

! Ship

BuiltBuilderServiceNotes
OL-22align="Center"|align="Left"|align="Center"|align="Left"|

Notes

{{reflist}}

References

  • {{Cite book

| title=Australian Army watercraft : Australia's unknown fleet : from the Second World War to the present day

| author1=Alsop, Brian

| year=1996

| publisher=Topmill, Marrickville

| isbn=1-876043-15-6

}}

  • {{Cite book

| title=Royal Australian Navy : Profile No. 4. Royal Australian Navy 21st century warships: naval auxiliaries 1911–1999 (including Defence Maritime Services)

| author1=Wilson, Michael

| author2=Australia. Navy Office. Naval Historical Records Section

| author3=Australia. Navy Office. Public Affairs

| year=1994

| publisher=Topmill, Marrickville

| isbn=1-876270-72-1

}}

{{Portal bar|Australia|Royal Australian Navy|Engineering}}

{{Royal Australian Navy}}

Category:Cargo ships of the Royal Australian Navy

Category:Auxiliary ships of the Royal Navy

Category:Ships of the Royal Australian Air Force

Category:Ships of the United States Army

Category:Cargo ships of the Australian Army