History of the RAN Fleet Air Arm

The Royal Australian Navy first became involved in naval aviation during World War 1 when aircraft were operated from the gun turret launching platforms of RAN cruisers operating with the Royal Navy.

A plane leaving the turret platform of HMAS AUSTRALIA, 1918

After the war, a purpose built seaplane carrier, HMAS ALBATROSS, was commissioned in 1929.

However, operating expenses were high and in 1933 the ship was placed in reserve - finally being sold to the Royal Navy 1938.

During World War 2, RAN cruisers carried aircraft flown and maintained by RAAF personnel with the RAN providing the observers.

The Seagull during WW2, flying over "mother", HMAS HOBART>>

When the British Pacific Fleet came to Australia in the latter part of the war, about 24 RAAF pilots volunteered to transfer to the Royal Australian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RANVR) and these men subsequently served aboard RN aircraft carriers and at RN Air Stations established in Australia.

After the war, the Australian Government recognised the importance of sea-borne air power and in 1947 authorised the formation of the RAN Fleet Air Arm.

The FAA came into being with the commissioning in 1948 of the Air Station HMAS ALBATROSS (at Nowra), 805 Squadron (Sea Furies) and 816 Squadron (Fireflies).

The following year the Light Fleet Carrier, HMAS SYDNEY, was commissioned. Two further Squadrons, 808 and 817 were commissioned in 1950. In 1951, SYDNEY, with the Sydney Air Group embarked, sailed north to take part in the Korean War.

HMAS Sydney ends her Tour of Duty in Korea with her planes flying ceremonial escort

It was the intention of the Australian Government to equip the RAN with two aircraft carriers but technical advances meant that the second carrier, HMAS MELBOURNE, would require fitting with an angled deck and a steam catapult to accommodate the new generation of aircraft.

Whilst MELBOURNE was undergoing modernisation, the Royal Navy loaned to Australia the aircraft carrier VENGEANCE. HMAS MELBOURNE commissioned in 1956 and at the same time the RAN acquired Sea Venom all weather fighters and Gannet anti- submarine aircraft.

The RAN introduced helicopters into operational service early in the development of this technology - firstly Bristol Sycamores and then the anti-submarine Westland Wessex.

As SYDNEY could not operate Sea Venoms and Gannets the ship changed to a training role and later became a troop carrier taking men and material to the war in Vietnam.

"The Vung Tau Ferry"

HMAS Sydney .
May 1965 -11th March 1972

The troop transport HMAS Sydney was the first RAN ship to have operational service in Vietnam. She completed 22 voyages in 7 years.

Sydney was a former air craft carrier that had served in the Korean War.

She was converted to a troop carrier and ran an almost ferry like service between Australia and Vung Tau for the 7 years of her commitment to the Viet Nam conflict.

HMAS SYDNEY paid off in 1975 after a very distinguished commission.

The Fleet Air Arm was heavily involved in the Vietnam War with aircrew and maintenance personnel from 723 Squadron serving in-country with 9 Squadron RAAF and the United States Army's 135th Assault Helicopter Company. During the fifties and sixties, MELBOURNE and her squadrons took part in operations in the Far East Strategic Reserve. In 1967 the MELBOURNE took delivery of a new generation of aircraft, the Douglas Skyhawk (A4G) and the Grumman Tracker (S2E). In the early seventies the Westland Sea King helicopter was introduced as the Wessex replacement.

The paying-off of MELBOURNE in 1983 marked the closing of the RAN fixed-wing aircraft carrier era.

However, the Fleet Air Arm continues its role in providing sea-borne air power and the focus today is on the embarked helicopters.

The Sea Kings, Squirrels and the Seahawks helicopters continue to provide the Royal Australian Navy with a significant capability afloat. The Kaman Seasprite (SH2-G) is the most recent acquisition of rotary wing aircraft for RAN

Kaman Seaprite, RAN

The RAN's first Kaman SH-2G Seasprite N29-161656 at Avalon, Vic., 12 Feb. 2001. (Courtesy Andrew Skorzetz - Andrew's Australian Aviation Photos

The RAN Fleet Air Arm has seen active service in Korea, the Malaya Emergency, Indonesian Confrontation, Vietnam, the Gulf War, East Timor and more recently, the War Against Terrorism.

Over the years since 1948, the RAN Fleet Air Arm has operated 22 different types of aircraft - a real challenge to the aircrew and the maintenance personnel.

The RAN Fleet Air Arm has forged a proud tradition over the years. A tradition of professional service and outstanding achievements. The Fleet Air Arm men and women of today carry on these high standards of dedicated service.

Admiral Sir Victor Smith, regarded as the "Father" of the RAN Fleet Air Arm, in the nineteen fifties adopted the motto-:"Second to None" for the FAA. This motto is as true today as it was in Sir Victor's day.

Partly from http://www.faaaa.asn.au/history.html