HMAS Melbourne: Австралия Әскери-теңіз күштерінің ұшақ тасушысы

1955–1982 Majestic class aircraft carrier of Royal Australian Navy

HMAS Melbourne (R21) was a Majestic class light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from 1955 until 1982, and was the third and final conventional aircraft carrier to serve in the RAN. Melbourne was the only Commonwealth naval vessel to sink two friendly warships in peacetime collisions. The ship was laid down as HMS Majestic on 15 April 1943, and was launched on 28 February 1945 by Lady Anderson, the wife of Sir John Anderson, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer. Initial plans were for three carriers, with two active and a third in reserve, although funding cuts led to the purchase of only two carriers in June 1947: Majestic and sister ship HMS Terrible, for the combined cost of AU£2.75 million,Monetary figures in this article shown are for the value of the Australian pound or dollar at that time, and have not been adjusted or converted. plus stores, fuel, and ammunition. As Terrible was the closer of the two ships to completion, she was finished without modification, and was commissioned into the RAN on 16 December 1948 as
The Majestic experienced delays in its construction due to labour difficulties, late delivery of equipment, additional requirements for Australian operations and the prioritisation of the construction of merchant ships. Incorporation of new systems and enhancements caused the cost of the RAN carrier acquisition program to increase to AU£8.3 million. The completed carrier was commissioned into the RAN as HMAS Majestic on 26 October 1955. Two days later, the ship was renamed Melbourne by Lady White, the wife of Sir Thomas White, the Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and recommissioned.

As the lead ship of the Majestic class of light aircraft carriers, Melbourne was conceived as a modified version of the Colossus class carrier, incorporating improvements in flight deck design and habitability. These carriers were intended as "disposable warships": to be disposed of at the end of World War II or within three years of entering service. Melbourne had a standard displacement of , which increased to at full load. At launch, the carrier was long overall, but this was increased by during a refit in 1969. These included an angled flight deck, steam catapult and a mirror landing aid, making Melbourne the third aircraft carrier (following and Forrestal) to be constructed with these features, instead of having them added later. The main modifications centred around the need to operate jet aircraft, which were larger and heavier than those propeller driven aircraft that the carrier was originally designed for. The flight deck was angled 5.5 degrees left of the carrier's centreline, to allow for the simultaneous launch and recovery of aircraft. Despite an increase to approximately one acre (4,000 square metres, 4,800 square yards) in area, the deck was still significantly smaller than other Cold War era carriers; S 2 Trackers, with their wingspan, had less than a metre's clearance for their starboard wingtip when landing, and pilots from other navies often refused to attempt landing. Water rationing was required in the early years of the carrier's operation, as the ship's fresh water supply was insufficient to freely provide for the steam catapult, propulsion turbines and crew. As time passed, the refits increased in duration or were replaced by major upgrades or overhauls. Melbournes first major refit started in December 1967 and continued until February 1969, during which she was upgraded to operate S 2 Tracker and A 4 Skyhawk aircraft. Air conditioning systems and a liquid oxygen generation plant were also installed. The flight deck was again reinforced and strengthened, and attempts were made to increase the effectiveness of the air conditioning system installed in 1969. The 1969 and 1971 refits did improve conditions, although there was little scope for upgrade, and the system was still inadequate: temperatures inside the ship continued to reach over 65 °C (149 °F), and on one occasion a hold reached 78 °C (172 °F). The next major refit ran from April 1975 to June 1976, and was intended to increase the operational lifespan of the carrier to at least 1985. The refit was lengthened by industrial action at the dockyard. A refit scheduled to begin in late 1981 was postponed in September until a decision regarding the new carrier was made, then cancelled in January 1982, after the announcement that the RAN would be acquiring HMS Invincible.

Melbourne carried a defensive armament of anti aircraft guns and an air group comprising both attack and anti submarine aircraft. As the ship was never directly involved in a conflict, her weapons and embarked aircraft did not fire a shot in anger.

Melbournes initial armament included 25 40 mm Bofors anti aircraft guns: six twin and thirteen single mountings. The radar suite consisted of three Type 277Q height finding sets, a Type 293Q surface search set, and a Type 978 navigational set. Between entering service and 1959, four of the single Bofors were removed. At the time of their arrival, the Sea Venoms were the only radar equipped and all weather combat aircraft in the Southern Hemisphere. The fixed wing aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm were marked for replacement by 27 Westland Wessex anti submarine helicopters. A reduction of embarked plane numbers to four Sea Venoms and six Gannets, along with regular rotation and careful use of the aircraft, extended their service life until the mid 1960s, while the size of the air group was maintained by carrying up to ten Wessex helicopters. The RAN planned to acquire 14 Grumman S 2E Tracker anti submarine aircraft, and modernise Melbourne to operate the aircraft. Both aircraft types entered RAN service in 1968, with the Trackers operated by 816 Squadron RAN and 851 Squadron RAN, and the Skyhawks by 805 Squadron RAN and 724 Squadron RAN. The aircraft did not fly from Melbourne until the conclusion of her refit in 1969. The majority of the aircraft ditched or crashed over the side, but some losses were due to catapult or arrestor cable failures.

Melbourne was the third and final conventional aircraft carrier to operate with the RAN. Following the first decommissioning of sister ship in 1958, Melbourne became the only aircraft carrier in Australian service. Melbourne was unavailable to provide air cover for the RAN for up to four months in every year; this time was required for refits, refuelling, personnel leave, and non carrier duties, such as the transportation of troops or aircraft. Although one of the largest ships to serve in the RAN, Melbourne was one of the smallest carriers to operate in the post World War II period. A decision was made in 1959 to restrict Melbournes role to helicopter operations only, but was reversed shortly before its planned 1963 implementation. During her service, the carrier was deployed overseas on 35 occasions, visited over 22 countries, and was seen as the physical and psychological centrepiece of the RAN fleet. As Melbourne was the only ship of her size (both in dimensions and ship's company) in the RAN, the carrier underwent a regular rotation of commanding officers to give them experience. Commanding officers were changed on average every fifteen months, with few remaining on board for more than two years. Melbourne sailed east via the Great Australian Bight, meeting sister ship near Kangaroo Island a week later. After visiting Melbourne and Jervis Bay, where the aircraft were offloaded and sent to Naval Air Station , the carrier concluded her maiden voyage in Sydney on 10 May. The role of flagship was transferred from Sydney to Melbourne three days later. Melbourne spent from September to November in Southeast Asian waters, during which she participated in Exercise Albatross and received an official visit by Philippines president Ramon Magsaysay. On return to Australia in mid November, the carrier visited Melbourne for the 1956 Olympics, where 200 of Melbournes complement were provided to work as signallers, event marshals, carpenters, and medical workers. In February 1957, Melbourne was sent to the Royal Hobart Regatta. Following this, she travelled to New Zealand, where she participated in exercises with HMNZS Royalist and visited several New Zealand ports. The carrier spent the rest of the year visiting Australian ports for open inspections by the public. During the visit to Port Adelaide, on 28 October 1957, Melbourne was slightly damaged when she was struck by MV Straat Lanka—the first of several minor collisions the carrier would experience throughout her career. Operations for the year concluded with participation in Exercise Astrolabe off Lord Howe Island, with ships from the RAN, Royal Navy, and Royal New Zealand Navy, before returning to Sydney on 13 December. On return to Sydney, Melbourne entered a short refit, which concluded on 13 October and was immediately followed by a visit to Port Phillip, where the carrier was displayed to Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force officer cadets before the carrier returned to Sydney. The rest of the year was spent visiting Australian and New Zealand ports. All four Sea Venom incidents occurred in March, with three attributed to aircrew error and one to brake failure. The year began with exercises en route to Adelaide, followed by a visit to the Royal Hobart Regatta. The carrier's Strategic Reserve deployment ran from April to June, and was followed by manoeuvres along the east coast of Australia until September. It was the first time a flagship of the RAN had entered Indian waters. After Strategic Reserve duties were completed, the carrier visited Japan, Guam, and Manus Island before returning to Sydney in late July. The 20,000th landing on Melbourne was performed in April by a Gannet, and in September, Melbourne participated in Exercise Carbine near Hervey Bay, Queensland.