Majestic Class aircraft carrier elevator ...

[jindivik33]

Would any of you martime experts have images of either HMAS Melbourne's or Sydney's aircraft elevators/lifts? I'm particularly interested in the elevator/lift side details ...

Any images of the aircraft hangar would also be very helpful.

Thanks in advance.

Roger L

[asho77]

Ahhh...another brave man scratch building the illustrious HMAS Melbourne. If you crack it and can get a 1/800-1/350 production kit up and running I think you'll become a very rich man..especially of this forum. It's like the modelling unicorn at the moment.

[traff]

You may already be aware http://www.navyhistory.org.au has the plans for both the Sydney and Melbourne. Melbourne is exterior and one sheet only, Sydney is most comprehensive and for both the carrier and troop transport. If I remember correctly, Melbourne had three chain runs each side of the elevator which itself was recessed 18 or 20" below the hangar deck. I think there may have been two locking pins fore and aft on each unit. Unfortunately I never had my camera with me when I was in her, but the plans from above should be a good start. Hopefully someone here will have some good shots for you. good luck with it and I will follow with interest.

[jindivik33]

Thank you for your responses, Asho and Traff.

It's HMAS Sydney III in her guise as a fast troop carrier (aka The Vung Tau Ferry) that I'm currrently planning using the 1/400 Aromanches/Colossus kit. I have the plans for HMAS Sydney from the Naval Historical Society of Australia at Garden Island, Sydney but regrettably, they don't cover the aircraft elevators in any detail.

For some unknown reason, no one seems to have photographed the lifts in any detail on either HMAS Sydney or HMAS Melbourne. The closest I've come is a shot from the internet of one of the elevators on INS Vikrant (ex HMS Hercules).

Regards

Roger L

[skypilot]

Hi Roger,
I know nothing about either ship but did you think of looking for photos of aircraft that may have been on those ships during their life. Maybe you could fluke one in the area you need.

I have found many photos of Townsville that way, pure chance.

regards
Peter J

[Nick Thorne]

Here are a couple of photos I took on Melbourne. Hope they help

F'wd lift HMAS Melbourne circa 1980, about half way down - playing volley ball!

F'wd lift1.jpg (133.1 KiB) Viewed 8489 times

F'wd lift HMAS Melbourne circa 1980

F'wd lift2.jpg (124.63 KiB) Viewed 8490 times

[jindivik33]

Hi Peter

Yes, I've tried the aircraft approach without much success. While there may be an aircraft on the elevator, the interior of the elevator is always too dark to make out any details. It's a similar story with the Vung Tau Ferry herself. Shots with the elevator(s) down are either too dark or to distant.

Hi Nick

Thank you so much for those two images. That's better detail than I've been able to source on the web or in reference books. The shots will come in very handy for scratch-building the Ferry's elevators. I'm aware that Melbourne's elevators were widened and strengthened but even so, they wouldn't be too dissimilar to Sydney's.

Thanks again to both of you for your responses.

Cheers

Roger

[Nick Thorne]

Yeah well it might not satisfy some of the rivet counters you can run into, but it certainly should help. Anyway without better source material what else can you do but go for the right"flavour"? Good luck with your model.

[traff]

That is why I did mine the elevators up all those years ago, could not get enough details

Having said that, the Naval Historic Society of Australia advertise a research department. Never used them, but might be worth a try. Can't hurt.

All the best of luck with this one and I will be following with very much interest.

[enfield38]

G'day Roger,

Have you tried searching for images of INS Vikrant R11? Google images has a shot of an Alouette helicopter on a lowered lift. She was also a Majestic Class carrier as you are no doubt aware, just a thought...