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The second HMAS ''Albatross'' is the Fleet Air Arm's base near Nowra in New South Wales , about 2 hours drive south of Sydney . ''Albatross'' is the home of the RAN's entire air fleet, which currentlys consists of four flying squadrons:
HISTORY The airfield at Nowra was originally used by squadrons of the Royal Australian Air Force when it opened in 1942 . In 1944 , the need for the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy for shore bases led to RAAF Nowra, due to its close proximity to Jervis Bay , being transferred to the RN, being renamed HMS ''Nabbington'' . In this role the base supported the British Pacific Fleet 's aircraft carriers. In 1947 , the RAN's own Fleet Air Arm was formed, and the Nowra airfield was chosen to be its main shore base. HMAS ''Albatross'' was commissioned on August 31 1948 , with its first squadrons disembarking from the new Australian aircraft carrier HMAS ''Sydney'' in May 1949 . Over the course of the next decades, the RAN purchased larger, faster and more capable aircraft, which led to the facilities at ''Albatross'' being expanded - workshops and test facilities for jets were installed following the entry into service of the De Havilland Sea Venom in 1955 , while a new control tower was built in 1958 . The purchase of A-4 Skyhawks and S-2 Trackers with advanced avionics led to more facilities being installed to service them. The Skyhawk and Tracker squadrons flew from the aircraft carrier HMAS ''Melbourne'' until the time it was decomissioned on 30 June 1982 . This signalled the beginning of the end of the fleet air arm's front line fixed wing capabilities, and also a scaling back of activities at ''Albatross''. TODAY Today, ''Albatross'' serves as home base for the four helicopter squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm, and for the Navy Aviation Group, which coordinates all of the RAN's aviation activities. ''Albatross'' also has a number of lodger units:
In addition, ''Albatross'' is the home of the Museum of Flight and the Royal Australian Navy Historic Flight. The naval base had the unusual distinction of being shared by a small civilian passenger terminal, which at various times was operated by the Masling and later Hazleton airlines companies using small propellor driven aircraft. Until 2004 , the Royal Australian Navy Gliding Association (RANGA) also operated from the runways at Albatross with a small fleet of gliders used by both Navy and civilian members. EXTERNAL LINK HMAS ''Albatross'' website |
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