HMAS Sydney (1944)
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 HMAS Sydney in 1949 |
|
| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Builder: | HM Dockyard Devonport, England |
| Laid down: | 19 April 1943 |
| Launched: | 30 September 1944 |
| Commissioned: | 16 December 1948 |
| Decommissioned: | 12 November 1973 |
| Renamed: | HMS Terrible (during construction) |
| Reclassified: | Training ship (22 April 1955) Fast transport (7 March 1962) |
| Status: | Scrapped |
| Homeport: | Sydney, Australia |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 15,740 tons (as aircraft carrier) 12,569 tons (as fast transport) |
| Length: | 192 metres |
| Beam: | 24.4 metres |
| Draught: | 7.5 metres |
| Propulsion: | Brown Curtis Turbines, 4 boilers, 2 shafts, 40,000 hp |
| Speed: | 25 knots |
| Complement: | 1,200 |
| Armament: | 30 x 40mm AA guns (as aircraft carrier) |
| Aircraft carried: | 37 (as aircraft carrier, no aviation facilities as fast transport) |
| Motto: | "Thorough and Ready" |
| Nickname: | Vung Tau Ferry (as fast transport) |
| Honours and awards: | Korea 1951-1952, Vietnam 1965-72 |
| Badge: |  |
HMAS Sydney was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier laid down by HM Dockyard Devonport in England as HMS Terrible (R93) on 19 April 1943, and launched 30 September 1944. As with other ships in the class, work was suspended upon the end of hostilities in 1945. Terrible was eventually commissioned 16 December 1948 as HMAS Sydney, the first aircraft carrier of the Royal Australian Navy (the RAN had operated the seaplane tender HMAS Albatross between 1929 and 1933). Sydney, and her sister ship, HMCS Magnificent, were the first Majestic class carriers completed after the war because they were the most advanced ships of the class at the war's end.
[edit] Operational History
Sydney was equipped with Hawker Sea Fury fighters and Fairey Firefly attack aircraft. In 1951 and 1952 Sydney operated with the United Nations forces in Korean waters. She participated in many actions and created a light fleet carrier record when she achieved 89 aircraft sorties in one day.
The ship continued in service as a carrier until her newer sister ship, HMAS Melbourne, took over the RAN's aircraft carrier role. Sydney disembarked her air squadrons 22 April 1955 and served as a training ship until paid off to Special Reserve in Sydney 30 May 1958, and 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".
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] References
- HMAS Sydney (III) - HMA Ships Histories. Sea power Centre Australia - Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved on 23 December, 2006.
[edit] See also
- List of aircraft carriers
- List of ship launches in 1944
- List of ship commissionings in 1948
- List of ship decommissionings in 1973
| Aircraft carriers of the Royal Australian Navy |
| Canberra class |
| Canberra | Adelaide |
| Majestic class |
| Sydney | Melbourne |
| Colossus class |
| Vengeance |
| Seaplane Carrier |
| Albatross |
List of major warship classes of the Royal Australian Navy |
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