HMNZS Tui (1970)

History
United States
Name	USNS Charles H. Davis
Namesake	Rear Admiral Charles Henry Davis
Builder	Christy Corporation, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Laid down	15 June 1961
Launched	30 June 1962
Christened	30 June 1962
Commissioned	25 January 1963
Fate	Transferred to RNZN
History
New Zealand (RNZN)
Name	HMNZS Tui
Namesake	The Tūī bird
Commissioned	11 September 1970
Decommissioned	1997
Fate	Sunk as dive wreck, 1999
General characteristics
Class and type	Conrad class oceanographic ship
Displacement	1,200 tons standard 1,380 tons full load
Length	63.7 m (209 ft)
Beam	11.4 m (37 ft)
Draught	4.7 m (15 ft)
Propulsion	1-shaft diesel electric, 10,000 bhp (7400 kW) one 620 hp (420kW =*6.5 kts) gas engine housed in the funnel for quiet running during sound experiments 175 hp bow thruster
Speed	13.5 knots (25.0 km/h)
Complement	(NZ) 36 plus up to 10 scientists
Armament	Unarmed

HMNZS Tui, formerly USNS Charles H. Davis (T-AGOR-5), was one of nine Conrad class oceanographic ships built for the United States Navy (USN), that later saw service in the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Serving with the USN from 1963 to 1970, these ships were designed to perform acoustic experiments on sound transmission underwater, and for gravity, magnetism and deep-ocean floor studies.

The ship was recommissioned into the RNZN in late 1970, and as HMNZS Tui served as an oceanographic survey and research ship until her decommissioning in 1997. In 1999, the ship was scuttled as a dive wreck.