Aircraft carrier Sydney?

Question

A friend of mine served on the carrier Sydney many years ago,he was telling me they were tied up to the dock,and were ready to leave,but where ever they were the tug boats were on strike,so what they did was lashed the aircraft to on side of the deck[sea furys i think he said] and had them running flat out to move the carrier away from the dock so they could move away he said the mechanics and air frame boys were tearing their hair out but they got out,has anyone ever seen this done?

Answer 1

Okay... a curious point.. they did the SAME thing in the movie "Bridges of Toko Ri"!! SO, either it's true, or your friend pulled the story from the movie...

As an ex-squid... I WILL say that any ship can be a plaything for the WINDS while docking, particularly something with the "sail" area of a carrier... a mere 15 knots of breeze in the wrong direction can make docking difficult.

Now, the USS Oriskany (ship from the movie) displaces 30,800 tons... an A-1 Skyraider generates 2,700 hp from her engine... figure 24 A-1's aboard (2 squadrons) would give you 64,800 hp available...

I need someone to convert that from horsepower to actual pounds of thrust !!

I THINK it would be possible.

Answer 2

I think he was giving you a salty old seadog story ! was it over a few bevvies ? I think you should send it into discovery channels myth busters but maybe they could not borrow an aircraft carrier from the navy to try it. I think this belongs in the catagory of "Air hammers" and a "Long weight" at the CQMS stores, ever heard of that one ? send a new recruit to the stores to ask for some long weights? he gets told by the NCO in the stores to sit over in a corner for an hour or so then gets asked "was that a long enough wait "

Answer 3

There is an effective means to determine the legitimacy of a Sailors story.

Remembering that "Fairy Tales" all begin with "Once upon a time" we know that all to follow is fiction.

All Naval Forces have a similar distinctive format. If the story begins with "Now this ain't no sheet" we also know that all to follow is fiction or tainted by alcoholic memories.

SSG US Army
Squids I have known
2 Uncles
Father in Law
Many neighbors and co-workers

Answer 4

Urban Myth.!!!!

HMAS Sydney was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier laid down by HM Dockyard Devonport in England as HMS Terrible (R93) on 19 April 1943, and launched 30 September 1944. As with other ships in the class, work was suspended upon the end of hostilities in 1945. Terrible was eventually commissioned 16 December 1948 as HMAS Sydney, the first aircraft carrier of the Royal Australian Navy (the RAN had operated the seaplane tender HMAS Albatross between 1929 and 1933). Sydney, and her sister ship, HMCS Magnificent, were the first Majestic class carriers completed after the war because they were the most advanced ships of the class at the war's end.

[edit] Operational History

Sydney was equipped with Hawker Sea Fury fighters and Fairey Firefly attack aircraft. In 1951 and 1952 Sydney operated with the United Nations forces in Korean waters. She participated in many actions and created a light fleet carrier record when she achieved 89 aircraft sorties in one day.


The ship continued in service as a carrier until her newer sister ship, HMAS Melbourne, took over the RAN's aircraft carrier role. Sydney disembarked her air squadrons 22 April 1955 and served as a training ship until paid off to Special Reserve in Sydney 30 May 1958, and recommissioned as a Fast Troop Transport on 7 March 1962. She was heavily committed to the support of the Australian Task Force in Vietnam and made 24 troop transport visits to Vietnam, which earned her the nickname "Vung Tau Ferry".

Sydney paid off for disposal 12 November 1973, was sold for scrap to the Dongkuk Steel Mill Company Limited of Seoul in South Korea on 28 October 1975 and left Sydney under tow 23 December 1975.

EDIT Seems he doesnt like our replies Paddy !!
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AufQGihmoO6tzweD7la4JpXX7BR.;_ylv=3?qid=20071215074602AAuvLj0

Answer 5

No