British Aircraft Carriers by David Hobbs

Author:David Hobbs
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd
Published: 2015-02-06T05:00:00+00:00

HMAS Melbourne with an ‘Alpha-Range’ of Skyhawks, Trackers and Wessex helicopters ranged smartly on deck. (RAN)

In late January 1952 Sydney transferred aircraft and stores to Glory, which had returned to Hong Kong after its refit. On 6 February 1952 she sailed for Singapore with a deck cargo of RAF Spitfire and Vampire fighters and then returned to Australia. In late August 1952 Sydney sailed in company with a number of RAN warships to join a Commonwealth task force off the Monte Bello Islands, North West Australia. Her aircraft flew extensive patrols to ensure that the area was clear of shipping while HMS Plym, a River Class frigate fitted with the first British atomic bomb, was moored and prepared for detonation. The atomic device inside Plym was detonated at 0930 on 3 October 1952 and could be seen from Sydney, which was 60 miles to seaward. She returned to Sydney later in the month after visits to Fremantle, Melbourne and Jervis Bay.

On 24 March 1953 Sydney sailed for the UK to represent the RAN at the Coronation Fleet review at Spithead. She had 817 (Firefly) NAS embarked and carried the whole Australian contingent for the Coronation ceremonies. The cruiser HMNZS Black Prince joined her on passage. The opportunity was taken to carry out exercises with the MF, which included Indomitable and Illustrious, in April 1953 before arriving in the UK in May. On 15 June 1953 she was one of nine Commonwealth aircraft carriers present at the Coronation Review by HM Queen Elizabeth II, and 817 NAS took part in the fly past. After the Review she crossed the Atlantic in company with Magnificent and returned to Australia via Halifax, Baltimore, Jamaica, the Panama Canal, Pearl Harbor and Auckland. The outer sections of her gun sponsons had to be cut off to allow her to pass through the Panama Canal. She returned to Sydney in August and subsequently worked-up with the fleet in the Hervey Bay areas, her aircraft successfully bombing and sinking the target ship Kuramia in the process. In September she carried out the first of several patrols to enforce the armistice off Korea, interspersed with visits to Japanese ports and Hong Kong. In April 1954 she carried out exercises with USN and RN ships off Japan and then proceeded to Iwakuni, where the Sabres of 77 Squadron RAAF were embarked for passage to Singapore. At one stage she had sixty-eight aircraft on board. At Singapore twelve new Sea Furies and stores were transferred to her from Perseus for passage to Australia and she handed over the armistice patrol duty to Warrior. From October 1954 she was used mainly as a training carrier, but in March 1956 she embarked 805 (Sea Fury) and 816 (Firefly) NAS to operate for the last time as a fixed-wing carrier. New pilots were deck qualified and aircraft handlers were worked-up to operational standard for service in Melbourne. Subsequently she acted as a training ship for new recruits to the RAN, but plans to modernise her to the same standard as Melbourne were cancelled.

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