HMAS Melbourne (R21) was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier of the Royal Australian Navy. Operating from 1955 until 1982, she 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.Melbourne never fired a shot in anger during her career, having only peripheral, non-combat roles in relation to the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation and the Vietnam War.Rectangular in shape Fibreboard mounted print of HMAS Melbourne.australian aircraft carrier, hmas, lara r.s.l., hmas melbourne

HMAS Melbourne (R21) was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Operating from 1955 until 1982, she was the third and final conventional aircraft carrier to serve in the RAN. Melbourne was the only British Commonwealth naval vessel to sink two friendly warships in peacetime collisions. The ship was laid down for the British Royal Navy as the lead ship of the Majestic class in April 1943, and was launched as HMS Majestic (R77) in February 1945. At the end of World War II, work on the ship was suspended until she was purchased by the RAN in 1947. At the time of purchase, it was decided to incorporate new aircraft carrier technologies into the design, making Melbourne the third ship to be constructed with an angled flight deck. Delays in construction and integrating the enhancements meant that the carrier was not commissioned until 1955. Melbourne never fired a shot in anger during her career, having only peripheral, non-combat roles in relation to the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation and the Vietnam War. However, she was involved in two major collisions with allied vessels. On the evening of 10 February 1964, Melbourne collided with and sank HMAS Voyager when the Daring class destroyer altered course across her bow. Eighty-two of Voyager's crew were killed, and two Royal Commissions were held to investigate the incident. The second collision occurred in the early morning of 3 June 1969, when Melbourne collided with and sank the Allen M. Sumner class destroyer USS Frank E. Evans in similar circumstances. Seventy-four United States Navy (USN) personnel died, and a joint USN–RAN Board of Inquiry was held. These incidents, along with several minor collisions, shipboard accidents, and aircraft losses, led to the reputation that Melbourne was jinxed. Melbourne was paid off from RAN service in 1982. A proposal to convert her for use as a floating casino failed, and a 1984 sale was cancelled, before she was sold in 1985 and towed to China for breaking. The scrapping was delayed so Melbourne could be studied by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) as part of a secret project to develop a Chinese aircraft carrier and used to train PLAN aviators in carrier flight operations. HMAS Melbourne was decommissioned on 30 June 1982, having spent 62,036 hours underway and having steamed 868,893 nautical miles. A proposal to convert her for use as a floating casino failed, and a 1984 sale was cancelled, before she was sold for scrap in 1985 and towed to China for breaking. The scrapping was delayed so Melbourne could be studied by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) as part of a secret project to develop a Chinese aircraft carrier and used to train PLAN aviators in carrier flight operations.The pictorial history of HMAS Melbourne with rare photos. Now a scarce title and highly desirable title that is now long out of print. Has provenance history of all ships movements from 1955 till decommissioned.HMAS Melbourne 25 YearsOn the front page is a picture of HMAS Melbourne with the words at top "H.M.A.S. Melbourne. At bottom are the words in orange, '25 Years'. In white, are the words 'by Ross Gillett' then 'Forward by Rear Admiral G.G.O. Gatacre C.B.E. DSO. DSC & Bar, RAN'. On the rear page is a list of all the Captains that served on the HMAS Melbourne between 1955-1980.hmas melbourne, aircraft carrier, royal australian navy, australian navy, westland whirlwind, sea venom, fairy gannet, bristol sycamore, westland wessex, douglas skyhawk, grumman tracker, westland sea king, fleet air arm, hmas albatross, nowra

This book tells of the mounting sea power of the Allies told by men of the RAN who with their ships have added the weight of their blows to the common effort. It tells stories of which the Royal Australian Navy may be proud.This volume is a further unfolding of the story of WWII which because of its nature as a world wide conflict, is so largely the story of sea power and its influence on the final outcome HMAS MK III - The RAN's Third Book. Green hardcover with black text and Navy insignia on front cover, text on spine. Inside front and back cover green sepia drawing of a fleet of Navy ships. Graphs, drawings, photographs, maps, poems.Tribute - Grey she is and stately Young alive and shapely Lissome, yes, and graceful, With perfect lines of elegance and dignity Her noble, lovely head She nods and shakes, With confidence to face Whatever may come. She nurses me And nourishes; Shields me, gives me courage. Alone I have been with her, when afraid. And in a crowd of friends, both hers and mine. Through conflict tense, with element or foe; through danger from above and from below. Through anguish keen Of loss, of death, of pain. Through gaiety, through joy victorious and safe She is my life, my only love, My ship.wwii, royal australian navy, sea power, germans, europe, japanese, communications, rear admiral v.a.c. crutchley, v.c., d.s.c, destroyers, corvettes, frigates, escort duties, motor launches, aircraft carriers, battleships, battle cruisers, cruises, armed merchant cruisers, sloops, submarine sweepers, mediterranean, warspite, valiant, pacific, american forces, dneiper bend, solomon islands, makin, tarawa, h.m.a australia, h.m.a shropshire, h.m.a arunta, h.m.a warramunga, h.m.a.s westralia, arctic, h.m. jamaica, h.m.saumarez, u.s. marines, h.m.a.s benalla, h.m.a.s shepparton, royal australian navy reserves

Black / white aerial photo of HMAS Melbourne with 5 aircraft on the flight deck plus 4 units of the RAN Combat fleet at sea. Photo is mounted with a fawn border with a grey wooden frame, glass front & fawn paper backing.Printed underneath photo in black ink: “H.M.A.S Melbourne and Units of the R.A.N. Combat Fleet” “Presented to Kevin Kelly by his Navy Office friends. Canberra 22nd January 1964” Written on back in pencil : “(Fate of Voyager and Melbourne) H.M.A.S. Voyager collided with H.M.A.S. Melbourne Feb 1964 - 81 lives lost” Written on back In black texta: “(Kevin Kelly)”photographs, hmas, melbourne

Playing cards of Japanese aircraft, black & white, design backing. .1) 9 of Clubs: 97 Dive Bomber like US Douglas A-24. .2) 10 of Club: 96 Mitsubishi H/Bomber - Army. .3) Jack of Clubs: 97 Kawasaki Flying Boat - Navy. .4) Queen of Clubs: Fiat BR-20 H/Bomber - Army.toys - games, documents - cards, military history - recreation, passchendaele barracks trust

Photographs collected by Earnest Albert Simmons W/2129 Royal Australian Navy. Enlisted 30 June 1941 and discharged 14 October 1946 with the rank of Leading Stoker. Posting at discharge was HMAS Lonsdale..1) Ship .2) Submarine conning tower .3) Ship .4) Hospital ship .5) Ship at anchor .6) Launch at ships side .7) Ships at anchor .8) Sunken ship .9) Ship .10) Group on launch .11) Ship firing a broadside .12) Wooden sailing vessel .13) Ship .14) Ship .15) Pilot station .16) Ship .17) Ship .18) Ship.s deck and biplane .19) Partially sunken ship .20) Two ships .21) Ship .22) Ship - damaged .23) Ship .24) Statue and colonade .25) Searchlights .26) Ships deck at sea .27) Aircraft .28) Ship .29) Ship .30) Troop ship .31) Swimmers at ships side .32) Ship .33) Ship .34) Ship deck at sea .35) Ship .36) Submarine .37) Ship .38) Ship .39) Ship .40) Two ships at sea .41) Ship .42) Aircraft carrier .43) Ships symbol .44) Sketch of Berbera .45) Sketch of biplanes .46) Boat at pier .47) Tug boat .48) Ship .49) Ship at wharf .50) Ships at wharf .51) Aircraft carrier .52) Ship .53) Ship at wharf .54) Ships at wharf .55) Ship .56) Two ships .57) Tug boat .58) Diagram comparing the size of two ships .59) Ship sailing past lighthouse .60) Postcard HMAS "Stuart". .1) Hobart and Glascow at Colombo .2) British submarine returning to Alexandria after claiming a victory - note Skull and X Bones .3) HMS Glascow at Colombo .4) Ex Italian hospital ship taken over by British. RAMB II .5) HMS Exeter .6) The landing party returning .7) Part fleet at Colombo .8) British ammunition ship sunk by sabotage in Alex Harbour .9) HMS Exeter .10) On the approach of the island. Note twin Lewis guns .11) HMS Ajax bombarding Bardia .12) A native boat used along coasts and Indian Ocean .13) RMS Georgie refoated at Pt? 1941 .14) HMS Carthage .15) Pilot station at Colombo .16) Aquitania .17) Ajax on patrol with Hobart and battle fleet .18) Hobart rolling in the Bight .19) HMS Gnat (river gun boat) hit by torpedo at Tobruk .20) - .21) Mauritania .22) Italian cruiser sunk by HMAS Sydney .23) Greek destroyer .24) Memorial of Mohomed Pasha Alexandria. Presented by Musso .25) Searchlight at Alexandria .26) Hobart pile driving in heavy weather .27) Lockheed Hudson dive bombing .28) - .29) HMS Galatea? x 1 turret at stern .30) Troops on Aquitania .31) Boys swimming in the middle lakes at Ismalia in the centre of Sues Canal .32) A water NG ? .33) - .34) Hobart striking heavy weather .35) HMS Jupiter .36) British submarine entering Alex .37) Queen Mary .38) Queen Elizabeth .39) Nieuw Amsterdam .40) - .41) Achilles .42) HMS Aircraft carrier - Illustrious .43) Symbol of Hobart's Pom-Pom .44) - .45) - .46) - .47) - .48) Mohoja and Oronties .49) Mohoja .50) - .51) - .52) HMAS Murchison 1954 .53) Strathmore .54) - .55) - .56 - .57 - .58) HMAS Vendetta .59) HMAS Cowra .60) - photographs, ran, hmas

Painting is mounted with light blue border in a brown wooden frame with glass front, cream paper backing & a wire hanging strap. Water colour painting of a warship at sea. The ship is grey with 4 twin main gun turrets. It also holds an Albatross Aircraft, 2 funnels & 2 wireless masts. The painted sky shows patchy clouds, the sea is a blue green colour with small white waves. HMAS Perth Artist Ray Parkin 1948hmas perth, ww2, ran, paintings

Items relate to Clifford Alfred Cairncross, joined the RAAF on 4.6.1942 No 56931 age 28 years. At discharge on 16.4.1946 he held the rank of LAC in No 40 Operational Base unit..1) Map of ocean curents & surface winds west pacific area - on silk fabric (Nov - Apr). .2) Heliograph mirror & foresight, glass & metal with printed instructions on mirror back. .3) Cotton pouch to hold heliograph. .4) 1 Pair black leather large pilot's gloves .5) 1 Pair brown leather pilot's gloves .6) Aircraft recognition US Navy book .7) Brown leather document pouchdocuments - maps, costume accessories, glove accessories, communications - signals, containers, books - reference

Paper back book of 254 pages. Front cover illustrated with colour reproduction painting of an aircraft carrier that had been bombed.Hand written on the fly leaf "Donated by Raymond Schelter".books, military history, navy

Believed to be an Aircraft Handler or Aircraft Director’s Hi-visibility vest. Possibly Royal Australian Navy or Air Force issue.Sleeveless vest made of yellow plastic with large numeral ‘14’ on rear. Snap fasteners (x2) on each side made by Carr Fast Australia. Label on inside rear bottom reads: A Stitch In Time VIC. 1969 8415-66-032-5935 Name ....... Army Number ........hi-visibility vest, aircraft

Leaflet dropped from German aircraft on to troops of the Royal army in Crete in May - June 1941 The propaganda leaflets were designed to lower moral of defending troops.Printed LeafletPrinted on leaflet “Soldiers of the ROYAL BRITISH ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE! There are MANY OF YOU STILL HIDING in the mountains, valleys and villages. You have to PRESENT yourself AT ONCE TO THE GERMAN TROOPS. Every opposition will be completely USELESS. Every ATTEMPT TO FLEE will be in vain. The COMING WINTER will force you to leave the mountains. Only soldiers, who present themselves AT ONCE will be sure of a HONOURABLE AND SOLDIERLIKE CAPTIVITY OF WAR. On the cntrary who is met in civil-clothes will be treated as a spy. THE COMMANDER OF CRETE On the reverse side of the leaflet is writing in the Greek language and also writing in English indicating that the leaflet was issued by the “GERMAN HIGH COMMAND OF CRETE”, MAY - JUNE 1941world war two, leaflet, propaganda, air drop

The Geoff mentioned in the inscription is Geoff Biddington.Children's book with colour and black and white illustrations.Inside front cover "To Geoff With Best Wishes From Aunty Vi 1932army, airforce, navy, armed service, royal marines, sailors, naval aircraft carrier, signalling, submarine, royal horse guards, military band, drum major, argyll and sutherland highlanders, royal artillery, machine gunners, tanks, bridge building, the piper, whippet tank, airmen, armstrong whitworth atlas machine, hawlker fury aeroplance, super-marine napier, schneider racing aeroplane, fairet iiif sea-plane, hawker hart day bomber, parachute jumping, schneifer trophy sea-plane, bristol bulldogs, iris flying-boat, geoff biddington, uniforms

Ship and Aircraft of the Navypicture, 1960's, ran

A ship model with ratio of 1:75 of HMAS Sydney. The ship has lime green deck which has two helicopter standing at the front with text P214, 1 helicopter at the back and 3 boats on a side hangingShip Model, c1990s HMAS Sydney A 1:75 scale model of HMAS Sydney, a Majastic - class light aircraft carrier operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) fro 1947-1958, when she was placed in reserve. The need for a sealift capability saw the ship modified for service as a fast toop transport, and re-commiessioned in 1962. In 1965, she sailed on her first voyage to Vung Tau, transporting soldires and equipment to Vietnam. Sydney made 25 voyages to Vietnam between 1965 and 1972, earning the ship nickname "Vung tau Ferry"model, model - aircraft carier, hmas sydney, ran

A ship model with ratio of 1:200 of HMAS Hobart (DDG39). The highest part is in black, main body is grey and bottom of the ship is peprika. The ship is on a white stand and kept in glassShip model, 1:200 HMAS Hobart (DDG 39) HMAS Hobart was Charles F Adams class, guided missle destroyer commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in 1965. In march 1967, Hobart become the first RAN combat shiip deployed to fight in the Vietnam War. This marked the start of consistent in six-month deployments to the warzone, which continued until late 1971; Hobart was redeployed in 19620 and 1970 During 1968, the destroyer was attacked by a United States Air Force aircraft, resulting in two killed and eight wounded among ship's crew. Hobart was awarded a US Navy Commendation for her 1967 service with the United States 7th Fleet.model, model - combat ship, hmas hobart

A dark green covered mannual with gold writing on the front cover, The word RESTRICTED is in the bottom right hand cornerroyal australian navy - technical manuals, westland wessex mk.3 aircraft

Model of F9 Vought jet fighter painted fawn colour202; AH 150906; USS Oryskany; Navy; VF-162model, aircraft, f9 vought

Douglas Skyraider bomber painted greyAK; 35326; 412; Navy; USS Intrepidmodel, aircraft, skyraider

A-4 Skyhawk fighter - grey and white with red and white checked tail. The red kangaroo in the centre of white, urrounded by navy blue circle.aircraft model, a-4 skyhawk

The Wessex was used between 1964 and 1984 by the Australian Navy in Australia and Oceania. This helicopter, no 31, also use for disaster relief in Darwin after Cyclone Tracy.Manufactured in Britain from a USA design, the Wessex was jet powered (Napier Gazelle), a multi-role helicopter used in air sea rescue, anti-submarine, ambulance, troop and freight carrying. Dependent on the mission profile, the aircraft carried a crew from three to five including two pilots.Includes a full set of Royal Australian Navy insignia and carries the Serial No. N7-221 and Navy Side No. 31.RAN Roundel. Navy Registration N7-221. No31, a/c safety markings. Tiger Head Unit Logo of 816 Sqnhelicopters, military equipment, wedssex, troop carrier, navy

ill (col), p.160.non-fiction160 fact packed pages 0n more than 40 warship types. Includes sections on aircraft, weapons and sensors and on fleet organization detailsunited states navy, military technology - naval

Index, Bibliography, ill (b/w), p.108.non-fictionThis book tells the story of the Royal Australian Navy in the years following the Second World War - an optomistic and confident period following the commissioning of Australia's first aircraft carrierroyal australian navy - aviation history, royal australian navy - history

Photograph of Aircraft Carrier Deck. Photo depicts several trucks and a crane tied to the deck. Two RAN Wessex Helicpoters and several RAN personnel can be seen.photograph, aircraft carrier, royal australian navy

The shell is painted dark green & beige. There is an insignia on the side with a navy blue circle with a white star in the middle. Two red squares with 2 yellow stripes on either side.cessna o.1 bird dog