Author Topic: The UK builds a new generation of CTOL Light Fleet Carrier in the 1970s  (Read 15140 times)

Offline Volkodav

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Re: The UK builds a new generation of CTOL Light Fleet Carrier in the 1970s
« Reply #25 on: February 03, 2017, 09:07:17 PM »
I have been considering a Wasp / Tarawa based CVS for some time


Guess where I plan to transfer the ski jump from my 1/350 Airfix Invincible to?  It is planned to go on my 1/350 Gallery Models USS Wasp LHD-1  ;).  And yes, I know that there is a bit of very careful cutting here to be done...

The idea is to create one of the Tarakan-class LHDs as described in Greater Australia.


There's a Gallery Wasp at the LHS, been there for over two years but hasn't dropped in price yet.  Would love to get it but unless I finish some builds first it aint gunna happen.  Maybe the 1/350 New Jersey I started back in the 80s would be a good one to finish to justify another stupidly large kit in the stash.

Offline M.A.D

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The RAN could easily have continued operating Skyhawks, Trackers and Sea kings on such a ship

I like the idea of the navalised F-20 but with the RAN I would likely go a joint Australia / New Zealand project Kahu and keep the Skyhawks going

Fair enough.  Actually a Upgraded Super Skyhawk that incorporated the best parts of the Kiwi Kahu birds and the the Singaporean A-4SU mod with F404 engine could have been a very interesting addition.  Maybe even do them as a 3-way joint Australia-Singapore-New Zealand project with all three adopting the resulting design.

Maybe give the Trackers etc a turboprop conversion as well.

Exactly, keep the costs down, including in service support costs, while delivering the required capability or more to ensure what really happened never happens.  Basically RAN carrier operations were pretty much doomed from the cancellation of Sydney's planned modernisation in 1954, after just proving how effective even a small carrier could be off Korea, with everything else that happened with Melbourne just delaying the inevitable.  Though I would like to think a UK designed 1950s or 1960s light fleet carrier would have been adopted by the RAN I think, to be honest, the level of political disinterest was such only a complete change in the upper echelons of Australia's major political parties in the 40s, 50s, and 60s could have made a difference.


Do we know what this
Quote
planned modernisation in 1954
of HMAS Sydney entailed?

M.A.D

Offline Volkodav

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  • Much older now...but procrastinating about it
She was to have been rebuilt to the same basic standard as Melbourne, angled, strengthened deck, steam catapults and upgraded lifts etc. were the guts of it.  Similar to Venerable, Vengeance and Colossus rebuilds.

Offline Volkodav

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I am actually planning to do a model of something akin to this.  It would be a CVL variant of the Invincible (will be using the 1/350 Airfix kit as the basis - the ski jump will go elsewhere on another project).  Plan will be for it to probably be in RAN service as a HMAS Melbourne replacement.  Back story would have it initially operating Skyhawks though maybe transitioning to navalised F/A-20s with this being seen as offering effective commonality with the RAAF F/A-18s.

Something interesting I found on the Atlantic models Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/AtlanticKits/photos/ms.c.eJxFzFEKACEMA9EbLTaxaXP~;iwmu4u9jmKDsyoZmmMAXB6YroeQFaUPFAY3eAN~;C~;yPwCo5OiwspfRTf.bps.a.1369975346419370.1073741854.213185735431676/1369975926419312/?type=3&theatre


Offline GTX_Admin

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Yes, something like that.  Not quite sure what aircraft to place on it though.
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Volkodav

  • Counts rivits with his abacus...
  • Much older now...but procrastinating about it
Looking forward it