HMAS Melbourne (R21)

[JensOle]

Hello!

HMAS Melbourne is the logical next step in the Majestic-class HD deck makover and I'm starting to collect reference information. In this regard I was hoping the crowd here at the SoH could help me.

My research so far shows that Melbourne had two distinct deck paint layouts:

• 1955-67 (British aircraft "era"): looks to be painted similar to British and Canadian carriers of the era.

-Yellow centerline and white edges
-Grey angled deck with green (?) deck
-Y, later M on the left side of the rear angled deck.
​

• 1969-82 (US aircraft "era")

-Dark grey angled deck and lighter grey deck.​

-I have seen both yellow/white and red/white center line markings in photos dating to the same year (1980). Do anybody have more info about this?
I suspect it started out in yellow/white and was then changed during the carriers last years in service 1980->.
-Double lined white edge lines.
-Pennant number 21 painted on the forward deck, right of catapult.
​

Any inputs?

Thanks!

 

[Sindhu]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/HMAS_Melbourne_in_Fremantle_overhead_1980.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/HMAS_Melbourne_in_Fremantle_1980.jpg

http://i572.photobucket.com/albums/ss164/Gort1953/fredpix034.jpg

View attachment 93263

 

[Sindhu]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/5449475158/


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/HMAS_Melbourne_(R21)_underway_aerial_1979.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/845-into-the-chocks.jpg

 

[JensOle]

Some greats pictures there. I have them in my collection and they support the deck layout overview i wrote above. I was wondering if any can bring any hard facts regarding both the first gen deck and the later swap between yellow and red for the 2/"3" gen painting.

 

[Sindhu]

I told some Aussies member in the Facebook's FSX group and hoping they'd have some information for you sir.

 

[JensOle]

Thanks!

 

[Sindhu]

If you can read French, there might be somthing you need here, sir.

http://forummarine.forumactif.com/t1502p1-cvl-r21-hmas-melbourne

 

[Sindhu]

View attachment 93265

 

[mjrhealth]

Have some photos will have to scan them in. Served on her for 9 months just before she was decommissioned

 

[fallenphoenix1986]

Was hoping you were going to give the Melbourne a work over

My understanding is she went from RN style green deck and yellow strip (Gannets & Sea Venoms), to RN style red strip (Gannets, Sea Venoms, Skyhawks & Trakers) to USN style yellow (Skyhawks & Trakers).

Craig

 

[Ian Warren]

This is all i have in colour Jens

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[AussieMan]

Ahhhhh the HMAS Melbourne. The only warship known to have sunk 2 ships without firing a shot in anger.

 

[anthony31]

Ahhhhh the HMAS Melbourne. The only warship known to have sunk 2 ships without firing a shot in anger.

Does that make her the Steven Bradbury of the RAN?

 

[AussieMan]

Possibly Anthony .

 

[mjrhealth]

And at neither time was she at fault.

More Pics





Just before she paid off, no more skyhawks, apparently they couldnt trust the arrestor system ,although they occasionally did touch and goes.

 

[Ian Warren]

They are Great Photos MJ <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><input jscode="leoInternalChangeDone()" onclick="if(typeof(jsCall)=='function'){jsCall();}else{setTimeout('jsCall()',500);}" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">

 

[fsafranek]

Ever since I did a couple RAN repaints for the A4G I've been wanting a Melbourne. There was one in an old razbam A-4 package but something for FSX is definitely needed. Great idea to get this started Jens-Ole.
:ernae:

 

[JensOle]

Was hoping you were going to give the Melbourne a work over

My understanding is she went from RN style green deck and yellow strip (Gannets & Sea Venoms), to RN style red strip (Gannets, Sea Venoms, Skyhawks & Trakers) to USN style yellow (Skyhawks & Trakers).

Craig

Interesting. My limited information so far show UK deck painting with yellow center line up to 1967 (albeit difficult to judge on the available color pictures from the 60's) http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/4991970159/sizes/o/in/photostream/ On this picture from the 60s it looks to be to be yellow. The big question is if it kept the green/grey scheme up to 67.

Then it from 69, after the major refit, got the US inspired deck painting and dark grey for the landing deck and lighter grey for the rest of the deck, all pictures I have seen from the 70's up to 79 show yellow and white center line. Sometime between 1979 and 80 it looks like the center line color was changed to red and white.

 

[fallenphoenix1986]

It would seem the green deck lasted a good bit longer than either of us thought, the shots on the following link are all dated as 1977:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41311545@N05/with/5449475158/
Rather confusingly I've seen other shots captioned as 1976 where she has a grey deck with a red deck strip, others captioned as being 1980 with a grey deck and red strip.
I'm sure I've seen a shot of one of the Blue/Green A-4's onboard with a yellow deck strip, which would place the shot as post 1980 though for the moment I can't find it.

The link above is full of shots I've never seen before, sadly they don't seem to be in any particular order.

Craig

 

[mjrhealth]

The shots i posted where from 1981, i think she was decommissioned in 82 or 3. I have a few smaller ones ill upload after I scan them in