Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates

[Tasman]

It was great to see HMAS Hobart proudly acting as flagship of the 2018 Royal Hobart Regatta during her first visit to her name city. Not obvious from photos is just how much larger she is when compared with the FFGs she and her sisters are replacing. I am looking forward to visiting her during tomorrow's open day.

Tas

 

[spoz]

Spoz, I was CAGASW for that trip, nice memories.

I remember Chris; I was the deputy pusser.

Great memories all around of that trip (although the refrigeration failure just before Colombo which led to us having to put reefers in C hangar was no fun) and the good thing about the A4 losses was that both pilots were OK; one due to some great flying by Pedro.

 

[SpazSinbad]

There are two good accident reports about the last two A4G losses - I'll try to figure out how to get them here in the file size limit - they are online but gotta go at moment.

 

[SpazSinbad]

Depending on your interest here are URLs for detailed info on the loss of A4G 885: (OneDrive can be weird - probably best to click the 'download' button top left of page to view the PDF with the latest version of Adobe Reader suitable for your operating system). Always a good starting point for PDFs/Videos about the A4G is:

SpazSinbad A4G | Fleet Air Arm Association of Australia

885baddamsColdCatLoss21nov1980plusPP142.pdf (57Mb)
885baddamsColdCatLoss21nov1980plusPP142.pdf
OR
885baddamsColdCatLoss21nov1980pp21 (8Mb)
885baddamsColdCatLoss21nov1980pp21.pdf
OR
Loss885reportA4GcatapultMalfunction21oct1980 (3.5Mb)
Loss885reportA4GcatapultMalfunction21oct1980.pdf

Loss of Skyhawk 885:
ADF Serials Message Board -> Loss of Skyhawk 885

The attached 5 page PDF about the loss of A4G 875 with VF805 CO LCDR Clive Blennerhassett ejecting successfully (engine failure just after catapulting) is an example of the info contained in the 885 PDFs various above. The 'adf-serials' link has a lot of that info in text format at that URL plus other discussions.

The second 7 page PDF attached has info about Clive Blennerhassett and A4G 875 (uploaded to see what is what with files - where are file extension/limits AT?) Complete 12 page PDF (attached two combined - unreprinted) at:

LOSS 875 Engine Failure After Catapult 02 Oct 1980 pp12.pdf (4.5Mb)
LOSS 875 Engine Failure After Catapult 02 Oct 1980 pp12.pdf

 

[SpazSinbad]

Forgot to add to the above Microsoft OneDrive links to 885 loss PDFs is that potential downloaders must register (for FREE) with Microsoft to VIEW/Download material there. However.... my experience is that (when NOT logged in) that warning message appears then after a pause the files become available. I can never figure this all out because 'non-registered' users experiences and the look of the website and all the other B/S there changes so much time after time.

 

[ASSAIL]

Forgot to add to the above Microsoft OneDrive links to 885 loss PDFs is that potential downloaders must register (for FREE) with Microsoft to VIEW/Download material there. However.... my experience is that (when NOT logged in) that warning message appears then after a pause the files become available. I can never figure this all out because 'non-registered' users experiences and the look of the website and all the other B/S there changes so much time after time.

I watched Clive Blennerhasset eject and the subsequent \Pedro rescue, very efficient and impressive.

 

[SpazSinbad]

Four photos by Rick Mechan animate ejection sequence for BH in A4G 875 02 Oct 1980 - engine failure after catapult HMAS Melbourne.

______________________________________________________________________________________

BLEM Baddams goes Vertical due soft cat shot a few days later in A4G 885 - THE END

 

[Tasman]

Enjoyed visiting HMAS Hobart today. She is certainly high tech compared with her predecessors. Interested that she had a single Harpoon cannister in place on the port side. I couldn't see any Nulka launchers. Is anyone able to comment as to where these are situated and if they are a different pattern to those mounted on the FFGs and FFHs?


Tas

 

[spoz]

Same pattern, but they are mounted in areas which I wouldn't have thought would be open to the public; 02 (but not near the bridge) and 03 deck. Forecastle's big, isn't it?

 

[Tasman]

Same pattern, but they are mounted in areas which I wouldn't have thought would be open to the public; 02 (but not near the bridge) and 03 deck. Forecastle's big, isn't it?

Yes, I couldn't see them from any of the open areas or from the wharf. The crew members who drew the short straws to act as guides/hosts were very helpful but I forgot to ask about Nulka until after I had left the ship and by then the queue was too long to go back on. Agree re the size of the forecastle! I thought the helo deck looked a good size too! Is the hole in the stern that looks a bit like a cat's bottom for variable sonar?



Tas

 

[spoz]

It's nickname is something like the "Elephant's Anus", I'm sure you can replace the second word with the appropriate one. Yes, it's for the towed array.

 

[ASSAIL]

YSpazSinbad and Spoz have caused me to forage through some old memorabilia and I've found two items that were issued to all the Melbourne Ships Company on the 1980 Indian Ocean cruise when HMAS Melbourne celebrated her 25th anniversary.
This is my final trip down memory lane on this subject so thanks all for your indulgence.

 

[SpazSinbad]

Thanks - I'd not seen the medallion before. Is it like a BITCOIN?

 

[Tasman]

YSpazSinbad and Spoz have caused me to forage through some old memorabilia and I've found two items that were issued to all the Melbourne Ships Company on the 1980 Indian Ocean cruise when HMAS Melbourne celebrated her 25th anniversary.
This is my final trip down memory lane on this subject so thanks all for your indulgence.

It's not indulgence! I for one have really enjoyed the old FAA postings that you, SpazSinbad and Spoz have posted! I think I must have visited Melbourne every time she was in Hobart from 1957 onwards, and I was always particularly interested in talking with anyone who would listen about her airgroup and its operations.
Tas

 

[SpazSinbad]

Aahhh TasWegians. Always had a good time in our southern isle (being a mainlander and all). You will see references to HMAS Melbourne (the aircraft carrier) visits to Hobart in the 4.4Gb PDF online at FAAAA url. I'll see what I can post here soon.....

 

[spoz]

YSpazSinbad and Spoz have caused me to forage through some old memorabilia and I've found two items that were issued to all the Melbourne Ships Company on the 1980 Indian Ocean cruise when HMAS Melbourne celebrated her 25th anniversary.
This is my final trip down memory lane on this subject so thanks all for your indulgence.

I’ve still got mine, too! Photo is framed on my office wall at work. Did you get a copy of the 25th Anniversary book which was sold as a sort of cruise book for the year?

Spaz, you should have visited in a ship named Hobart.......

Oh, and of course the photo was of Clive, Blemish and the SAR diver who saved them both, and whose name eludes me, which it shouldn’t as there would have been no happy ending without him. God, Blemish looks young!

 

[SpazSinbad]

I did not know the shirtless one was the SAR diver. I have been told it was the A4G SE guy responsible for their safety equipment. That is all I know. I guess replies at FAAAA will be known in a few weeks or less. The SAR diver name will be in the PDFs about the accidents linked above..... ADF Serials Message Board -> Loss of Skyhawk 885

SAR Diver: "...The SAR diver, Rick Newman (who had rescued my boss three weeks earlier), then magically appeared from behind and started to untangle me...." BLEM quote.

My first visit was as a crew member for FRANKLIN for the return to JB after the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1966. Otherwise I was a real landlubber; whilst the return via the canal and something or other bay via a quick 'LOBSTER race' was just magic. I'll have to look at a chart. Luckily the south to north return to JB was relatively calm. Returned to Tassie a few times after that but not in a ship.

 

[aussienscale]

I’ve still got mine, too! Photo is framed on my office wall at work. Did you get a copy of the 25th Anniversary book which was sold as a sort of cruise book for the year?

Spaz, you should have visited in a ship named Hobart.......

Oh, and of course the photo was of Clive, Blemish and the SAR diver who saved them both, and whose name eludes me, which it shouldn’t as there would have been no happy ending without him. God, Blemish looks young!

Did any of you guys know Popeye Ashman when you were on Melbourne ?

 

[spoz]

I did not know the shirtless one was the SAR diver. I have been told it was the A4G SE guy responsible for their safety equipment. That is all I know. I guess replies at FAAAA will be known in a few weeks or less. The SAR diver name will be in the PDFs about the accidents linked above..... ADF Serials Message Board -> Loss of Skyhawk

Hmm, you might be right, it might well be the SE bloke, that would make sense of the thing he is holding! I don’t actually remember Rick Newman, but I hope he was rewarded in some way, he did one hell of a job. Certainly all of Mel’s ships company at the time knew that, which is why I assumed he would be in the phot. Vinnie Di Pietro would probably know, he was the Pedro pilot I think. Although it’s also true that their SE worked pretty well. I’m a member of FAAAA so I’ll have to look up the website.

Popeye Ashman, sorry name rings a vague bell but that’s about it.

 

[SpazSinbad]

'spoz' if you follow the link given - at least to text on another forum you will see a lot of information easily. For example:

"...SAR helicopter, piloted by SBLT Dick Chartier..." ADF Serials Message Board -> Loss of Skyhawk 885

https://www.faaaa.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/MysteryPhoto38.jpg

To me the shirtless one and Blem have what look like the D ring (without protective covering yellow black stripe plastic) for the lower ejection seat handle (but only my guess - I have never seen one without the covering). What BH has is a complete mystery.