herakles
12-01-2008, 04:07
There are actually four and a half ships of this name and here follows a brief description of each one.
1. HMAS Sydney
A Chatham class light cruiser (others in this class included: Chatham, Dublin, Southampton, Brisbane, Melbourne) commissioned in 1913 at Portsmouth. Whilst on escort duties, escorting the ANZAC troops from Australia to France in 1914, she detached and went after SMS Emden, known to be nearby. After a 4-5 hour battle, the wrecked Emden ran aground on the North Keeling Island reef. There is a famous painting of the Emden there at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, entitled "The Emden Beached and done for".
The rest of the war was spent in British waters and she had a Sopwith Pup plane which was launched from her. She returned to Australia and was for a time, flagship. Paid off in 1928.
2. HMAS Sydney
Originally laid down as HMS Phaeton, she was commissioned in 1935.
Displacement: 6,830t
Length: 562 ft (171.3 m)
Beam: 56 ft (17.1 m)
Speed: 32.5 knots (60 km/h)
Complement: 645
Armament: 8 × 6 in (152 mm) guns, 4 × 4 in (102 mm) guns, 3 x .50 machine guns, 12 x .303 Lewis Machine Guns, 8 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (in 2 quadruple mounts)
Aircraft carried: 1 x Supermarine Walrus
She saw much action. Whilst in the Mediterranean, she engaged and sank Espero and the Zeffiro. Later, at the battle of Cape Spada, she engaged the high-speed Italian light cruisers Bartolomeo Colleoni and Giovanni dalle Bande Nere. Bartolomeo Colleoni was wrecked. She saw other action in the Mediterranean, sinking a tanker and bombarding Italian positions. Together with Ajax and Orion, she attacked an Italian convoy. All merchant ships were destroyed.
After two refits in Malta and Fremantle, she carried out patrol and escort duties in the Indian Ocean.
After escorting a troop ship to Sumatra in November 1941, she started a return voyage to Fremantle. On 19th November, she challenged a mercahnt ship off Shark Bay. This turned out to be the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran in disguise. What followed is largely unknown. It is known that both ships closed to less than 1500 metres. The Kormoran was destroyed by Sydney and her crew later picked up. Sydney sank with all hands - 645 in total. There are several theories, none of them substantiated as to what happened. Badly on fire, she limped away out of sight. Little wreckage was ever found. In 2007, it was believed that the final resting place was discovered but this turned out to be false. This site: http://members.iinet.net.au/~gduncan/HMASSydney/HMASSydney-4.html describes the theories.
3. HMAS Sydney
She was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier, originally commissioned as HMS Terrible in 1943. Re-commissioned as Sydney in 1948. She was paid off in 1973.
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)
In September 1951 she was sailed to Korea. This was the first occasion that a Dominion carrier had seen war service. Her large number of planes saw much action. One day in October she created a light fleet carrier record by flying 89 sorties, making a total of 147 sorties in two days operations.
In October 1951, whilst at anchor, warning was received of the imminent arrival of a typhoon. She immediately put to sea and experienced the worst of the typhoon on the 14th. She continued active service after that and many successful operations were carried out. She retired to Australia 26 January 1952 after spending 64 days in action. She took part in the first successful British A bomb experiments off Monte Bello in October.
In early 1953 she sailed to England as part of the Coronation Contingent, returning via the USA.
In 1958, she was turned into a training vessel, a task she continued until 1973 when she was paid off.
4. HMAS Sydney
Was an Adelaide class frigate, commissioned in 1983.
Displacement: 4,200 tons
Length: 138 m
Beam: 14 m
Draught: 7.5 m
Propulsion: 2 × General Electric LM 2500 gas turbines providing 41,000 hp (31 MW)
Speed: 29 knots (54 km/h)
Range: 4,500 nautical miles (8,330 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h)
Complement: 210
Armament: Mk 41 VLS for Evolved Sea Sparrow missile; Mk 13 launcher for Harpoon and SM-2 missiles; 1 × 3 in OTO Melara; 1 × 20 mm Mk 15 Vulcan Phalanx; 2 x triple 324 mm Mk 32 torpedo tubes
Aircraft carried: 2 x S-70B Seahawk or 1 x Seahawk and 1 x AS350B Squirrel
Sydney has deployed to the Middle East four times. On the first occasion she took part in Operation Desert Storm, the action against Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War, for which she earned a Meritorious Unit Citation. She later supported UN sanctions against Iraq in 1991/92 and 1993. Sydney also deployed to East Timor in support of INTERFET in 1999 and in 2000, supported the efforts bring peace to the Solomon Islands. Her fourth deployment to the Middle East was during the pinnacle of the Iraq War in 2003 in support of allied forces.
She is still in service.
5. HMAS Sydney
She will be an air warfare destroyer. In 2000 the Government announced that these ships would replace the Adelaide Class frigates.
Displacement: 6,250 tonnes
Length: 146.7 m
Beam: 18.8 m
Draft: 7.2 m
Speed: 28 kn +
Range: 5000 nmi + @ 18+ kn
Complement: ~180, accommodation for 234
Armament: 48 cell Mk 41 vertical launch system capable of firing SM2, SM3 and ESSM Surface-to-air missiles 8 x RGM-84 Harpoon SSM 6 x torpedoes 1 x [[5"/54 caliber Mark 45 gun]] 1 x CIWS
Sensors: AN/SPY-1D(V) phased array radar, horizon search radar, hull mounted and towed array sonar system
Aircraft carried: 1 x helicopter
She is due to be commissioned in about 2014.
1. HMAS Sydney
A Chatham class light cruiser (others in this class included: Chatham, Dublin, Southampton, Brisbane, Melbourne) commissioned in 1913 at Portsmouth. Whilst on escort duties, escorting the ANZAC troops from Australia to France in 1914, she detached and went after SMS Emden, known to be nearby. After a 4-5 hour battle, the wrecked Emden ran aground on the North Keeling Island reef. There is a famous painting of the Emden there at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, entitled "The Emden Beached and done for".
The rest of the war was spent in British waters and she had a Sopwith Pup plane which was launched from her. She returned to Australia and was for a time, flagship. Paid off in 1928.
2. HMAS Sydney
Originally laid down as HMS Phaeton, she was commissioned in 1935.
Displacement: 6,830t
Length: 562 ft (171.3 m)
Beam: 56 ft (17.1 m)
Speed: 32.5 knots (60 km/h)
Complement: 645
Armament: 8 × 6 in (152 mm) guns, 4 × 4 in (102 mm) guns, 3 x .50 machine guns, 12 x .303 Lewis Machine Guns, 8 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (in 2 quadruple mounts)
Aircraft carried: 1 x Supermarine Walrus
She saw much action. Whilst in the Mediterranean, she engaged and sank Espero and the Zeffiro. Later, at the battle of Cape Spada, she engaged the high-speed Italian light cruisers Bartolomeo Colleoni and Giovanni dalle Bande Nere. Bartolomeo Colleoni was wrecked. She saw other action in the Mediterranean, sinking a tanker and bombarding Italian positions. Together with Ajax and Orion, she attacked an Italian convoy. All merchant ships were destroyed.
After two refits in Malta and Fremantle, she carried out patrol and escort duties in the Indian Ocean.
After escorting a troop ship to Sumatra in November 1941, she started a return voyage to Fremantle. On 19th November, she challenged a mercahnt ship off Shark Bay. This turned out to be the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran in disguise. What followed is largely unknown. It is known that both ships closed to less than 1500 metres. The Kormoran was destroyed by Sydney and her crew later picked up. Sydney sank with all hands - 645 in total. There are several theories, none of them substantiated as to what happened. Badly on fire, she limped away out of sight. Little wreckage was ever found. In 2007, it was believed that the final resting place was discovered but this turned out to be false. This site: http://members.iinet.net.au/~gduncan/HMASSydney/HMASSydney-4.html describes the theories.
3. HMAS Sydney
She was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier, originally commissioned as HMS Terrible in 1943. Re-commissioned as Sydney in 1948. She was paid off in 1973.
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)
In September 1951 she was sailed to Korea. This was the first occasion that a Dominion carrier had seen war service. Her large number of planes saw much action. One day in October she created a light fleet carrier record by flying 89 sorties, making a total of 147 sorties in two days operations.
In October 1951, whilst at anchor, warning was received of the imminent arrival of a typhoon. She immediately put to sea and experienced the worst of the typhoon on the 14th. She continued active service after that and many successful operations were carried out. She retired to Australia 26 January 1952 after spending 64 days in action. She took part in the first successful British A bomb experiments off Monte Bello in October.
In early 1953 she sailed to England as part of the Coronation Contingent, returning via the USA.
In 1958, she was turned into a training vessel, a task she continued until 1973 when she was paid off.
4. HMAS Sydney
Was an Adelaide class frigate, commissioned in 1983.
Displacement: 4,200 tons
Length: 138 m
Beam: 14 m
Draught: 7.5 m
Propulsion: 2 × General Electric LM 2500 gas turbines providing 41,000 hp (31 MW)
Speed: 29 knots (54 km/h)
Range: 4,500 nautical miles (8,330 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h)
Complement: 210
Armament: Mk 41 VLS for Evolved Sea Sparrow missile; Mk 13 launcher for Harpoon and SM-2 missiles; 1 × 3 in OTO Melara; 1 × 20 mm Mk 15 Vulcan Phalanx; 2 x triple 324 mm Mk 32 torpedo tubes
Aircraft carried: 2 x S-70B Seahawk or 1 x Seahawk and 1 x AS350B Squirrel
Sydney has deployed to the Middle East four times. On the first occasion she took part in Operation Desert Storm, the action against Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War, for which she earned a Meritorious Unit Citation. She later supported UN sanctions against Iraq in 1991/92 and 1993. Sydney also deployed to East Timor in support of INTERFET in 1999 and in 2000, supported the efforts bring peace to the Solomon Islands. Her fourth deployment to the Middle East was during the pinnacle of the Iraq War in 2003 in support of allied forces.
She is still in service.
5. HMAS Sydney
She will be an air warfare destroyer. In 2000 the Government announced that these ships would replace the Adelaide Class frigates.
Displacement: 6,250 tonnes
Length: 146.7 m
Beam: 18.8 m
Draft: 7.2 m
Speed: 28 kn +
Range: 5000 nmi + @ 18+ kn
Complement: ~180, accommodation for 234
Armament: 48 cell Mk 41 vertical launch system capable of firing SM2, SM3 and ESSM Surface-to-air missiles 8 x RGM-84 Harpoon SSM 6 x torpedoes 1 x [[5"/54 caliber Mark 45 gun]] 1 x CIWS
Sensors: AN/SPY-1D(V) phased array radar, horizon search radar, hull mounted and towed array sonar system
Aircraft carried: 1 x helicopter
She is due to be commissioned in about 2014.