Fleet Air Arm
Association of Australia
Fleet Air Arm History
1947 - 1970s
After World War 2, 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 - pictured) and 816 Squadron (Fireflies).
In 1949, 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.
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 an angled deck and a steam catapult to accommodate the new generation of aircraft.
While Melbourne was undergoing modernisation, the Royal Navy loaned 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 (pictured).
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 materials to the war in Vietnam.
HMAS Sydney paid off in 1975 after a distinguished service life.