HMAS Sydney (R17)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
_(AWM_301423).jpg/300px-HMAS_Sydney_(R17)_(AWM_301423).jpg) HMAS Sydney in 1949 |
|
| Career (Royal Australian Navy) |  |
|---|---|
| Namesake: | City of Sydney |
| Builder: | HM Dockyard Devonport, England |
| Laid down: | 19 April 1943 |
| Launched: | 30 September 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 16 December 1948 |
| Decommissioned: | 30 May 1958 |
| Recommissioned: | 7 March 1962 |
| Decommissioned: | 12 November 1973 |
| Reclassified: | Training ship (22 April 1955) Fast transport (7 March 1962) |
| Homeport: | Sydney, Australia |
| Motto: | "Thorough and Ready" |
| Nickname: | Vung Tau Ferry (as fast transport) |
| Honours and awards: |
Korea 1951-1952, Vietnam 1965-72 |
| Fate: | Scrapped |
| Badge: |  |
| General characteristics as aircraft carrier | |
| Class and type: | Majestic class aircraft carrier |
| Displacement: | 15,740 tons |
| Length: | 695 ft (212 m) overall |
| Beam: | 80 ft (24 m) |
| Draught: | 25 ft (7.6 m) |
| Propulsion: | Brown Curtis Turbines, 4 boilers, 2 shafts, 40,000 hp |
| Speed: | 25 knots (46 km/h) |
| Complement: | 1,200 crew |
| Armament: | 30 x 40 mm AA guns |
| Aircraft carried: | 37 aircraft |
| General characteristics as fast troop transport | |
| Type: | Fast Troop Transport |
| Displacement: | 12,569 tons |
HMAS Sydney (R17/A214) was a Majestic class light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Launched in 1944 and decommissioned in 1973, Sydney was the first conventional aircraft carrier to serve in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Sydney also served as the RAN flagship during her career, and after being paid off into reserve in 1958, she was recommissioned as a Fast Troop Transport.
Sydney served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Contents |
[edit] Construction and acquisition
The ship was laid down by HM Dockyard Devonport in England as HMS Terrible (R93) on 19 April 1943, and launched 30 September 1944.[1] Following the end of World War II, the Admiralty ordered the suspension of many British shipbuilding projects, including the fitting out of Majestic and her five sister ships.[2] Construction resumed in 1946, and modifications to the design were incorporated.[2]
A review by the Australian Government's Defence Committee held after World War II recommended that the post-war forces of the RAN be structured around a Task Force incorporating multiple aircraft carriers.[3] Initial plans were for three carriers, with two active and a third in reserve, although funding cuts led to the purchase of Terrible and sister ship HMS Majestic in June 1947 for the combined cost of AU£2.75 million, plus stores, fuel, and ammunition.[2][4] As Terrible was the closer of the two ships to completion, construction was finished without modification, and she was commissioned into the RAN on December 16, 1948 as HMAS Sydney.[2] Majestic underwent heavy modification, and was commissioned as HMAS Melbourne on 28 October 1955.[2]
[edit] Design
Sydney was part of the six-ship Majestic class of light fleet carriers.[1] The class had been conceived as a modified version of the Colossus class carrier, incorporating improvements in flight deck design and habitability.[2] These carriers were intended to be 'disposable warships': they were to be operated during World War II and scrapped at the end of hostilities or within three years of entering service.[5]
Sydney was the second ship of the class to enter service, following Canadian aircraft carrier HMCS Magnificent.[1] These two carriers were the closest to completion at the end of World War II, and were finished without major modification from the original plans.
[edit] Planned upgrade
Originally, the RAN wanted to upgrade Sydney to the same standard as sister ship Melbourne, allowing her to operate modern jet aircraft with the installation of an angled flight deck and steam catapult. Following the delivery of Melbourne, Sydney was to undergo similar modifications. However, due to financial and manpower restrictions, this upgrade was cancelled.
[edit] Armament
[edit] Weapons and systems
Sydney was armed with 30 x 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns, located in single and twin mountings.[1]
[edit] Aircraft
Sydney was initially equipped with Hawker Sea Fury fighters and Fairey Firefly attack aircraft.
[edit] Operational history
Sydney did not commence service until 5 February 1949, as necessary modififications were still being completed.[1] She sailed from Devonport on 12 April 1959, carrying 805 and 816 Squadrons of the RAN's new Fleet Air Arm.[1] After a short period in Australian waters, Sydney returned to England in July 1950 to collect 808 and 817 Squadrons.[1]
[edit] Korean War
In September 1951, Sydney was deployed to support United Nations forces fighting in the Korean War.[1] This was the first occasion an aircraft carrier owned by a British Dominion was involved in combat.[1] During her first patrol, the carrier operated a United States Navy helicopter as well as her Sea Furies and Fireflies.[1] On 11 October, Sydney set a record when her aircraft flew 89 sorties.[1]
Following her first patrol, the carrier sailed to Japan to resupply.[1] On the evening of 14 October, Typhoon Ruth passed through the anchorage at Sasebo, Nagasaki.[1] Ships present at the anchorage were ordered to sea the morning before the typhoon hit, but due to the number of ships present, Sydney was unable to leave until late in the day, and sailed during the worst part of the storm.[1] A Firefly, a 16 foot motor dinghy, and a forklift were lost overboard, and the carrier experienced winds in excess of 68 knots—the ship's wind recorder breaking at this reading.[1]
Sydney’s second patrol occurred from 18 October to 26 October, during which her aircraft flew 389 sorties, fired 96,280 rounds of ammunition and 1,472 rockets, and dropped 95,000 pounds of bombs.[1] Two Sea Furies and one Firefly were lost with no casualties, and 28 aircraft were damaged by flak.[1]
Sydney completed seven patrols during the Korean War, spending 64 days in the area.[1]
[edit] 1952-1962
Sydney was present for the first British atomic bomb test, Operation Hurricane.[1] The test occurred on 3 October 1952, off the coast of the Montebello Islands, Western Australia.[1]
Sydney continued in service as a carrier until her newer sister ship, HMAS Melbourne, took over the RAN's aircraft carrier and flagship roles. A planned upgrade of Sydney to a similar standard was cancelled, and she disembarked her air squadrons 22 April 1955, reverting to a training ship role until paid off to Special Reserve in Sydney 30 May 1958.
[edit] Vietnam War
Sydney was recommissioned as a Fast Troop Transport on 7 March 1962. She was heavily committed to the support of the Australian Task Force in Vietnam and made 24 troop transport visits to Vietnam, which earned her the nickname "Vung Tau Ferry".
In the late 1960s, Sydney was slated to be replaced, with rumours circulating that the new ship would be an amphibious assault ship, most likely a United States Iwo Jima class ship.[6] These rumours were proven false by the early 1970s.[6]
In 1968, Sydney was modificed to carry six LCVP landing craft on davits.[6] 16 LCVPs were constructed for use with Sydney, but half were put up for sale in the early 1970s.[6]
[edit] Decommissioning and fate
Sydney paid off for disposal 12 November 1973, was sold for scrap to the Dongkuk Steel Mill Company Limited of Seoul in South Korea on 28 October 1975 and left Sydney under tow 23 December 1975.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^[I] For the purpose of this article, a conventional aircraft carrier is defined as a ship designed primarily to launch and recover multiple fixed-wing aircraft from a flight deck, and operated as such. This definition does not include seaplane tender HMAS Albatross, or the Canberra class large amphibious ships.
[edit] Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t HMAS Sydney III. HMA Ship Histories. Sea Power Centre - Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
- ^ a b c d e f David Hobbs (2007). HMAS Melbourne II - 25 Years On, pg 5
- ^ Donohue, p. 33.
- ^ Donohue, pp. 38, 45-47.
- ^ Stevens & Reeve, p. 217.
- ^ a b c d Andrews, Graeme (1973). Fighting Ships of Australia & New Zealand, 1973-1974 edition, Kogarah, NSW: Regency House, 8.
[edit] References
- Donohue, Hector (October 1996). From Empire Defence to the Long Haul: post-war defence policy and its impact on naval force structure planning 1945-1955, Papers in Australian Maritime Affairs (No. 1). Canberra: Sea Power Centre. ISSN 1327-5658. ISBN 0-642-25907-0. OCLC 36817771.
- Hobbs, Commander David (October 2007). "HMAS Melbourne (II) - 25 Years On". The Navy 69 (4): 5-9. ISSN 1332-6231.
- (2005) in Stevens, David & Reeve, John: The Navy and the Nation: the influence of the Navy on modern Australia. Corws Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-74114-200-8. OCLC 67872922.
|
||||||||||||||
