Dates: 1943 - 1982

Melbourne was the lead ship of the Royal Australian Navy’s Majestic class aircraft carriers.
Her keel was laid in 1943 by Vickers Armstrong, and she was launched as HMS Majestic in 1945. At the end of World War Two work was suspended on the ship until she was bought by the RAN in 1947.
With the extensive work to incorpurate the latest aircraft carrier technology she was not commissioned until 1955.
Melbourne was not involved in a combat role, however she did collide twice and sink other vessels, HMAS Voyager and USS Frank E.Evans.
She was decommissioned in 1982, and sent for scrapping in 1985. She was not allowed to rest and the Chinese used her for experiments in carrier flight operations.
She was finally broken up in 2002.

Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving HMAS Melbourne

" Quoting: Ian Hatch Was there not a carrier called Adelaide or such that attacked American destroyers back in the 1970s? Or was it the other way round? Ian That was HMAS Melbourne and she was scrapped in 1982. We were going the get the first of the thru deck cruisers from the RN but ..."

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" Quoting: Arthur Rowsell Ian That was HMAS Melbourne and she was scrapped in 1982. We were going the get the first of the thru deck cruisers from the RN but that deal fell thru due to the Falklands conflict. The other one we had was the HMAS Sydney but she basically became a troop ferry for ..."

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" Quoting: harry nixon Roly I can’t remember seeing that Tug Master good pic. We had a trip on the Katoomba Railway, lovely area, lots of things to look at and do. [IMG.jpg] They used to be painted Navy Blue Harry. I an also remember them in use on railway stations in UK to move ..."

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" Quoting: Chris Gadsden Good Morning Arthur!!!! A Gouse is the Canadian way of explaining their House in the winter months, its like the silent "F" in Bananas!!! There is no "F" in apples either!!! Love pic mate!!! Where are the aircraft?   That ship is a work in progress. ..."

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" Happy Birthday to you then Kieth. Hope that you have many more and enjoy a few tots over the remaining years. I have a few more photos of the fleet and could send you the photos via email if you want. At the moment their is a major task on with the modellers to get completed a model of HMAS ..."

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