Description
TOWNSVILLE, QLD. 1943-06-08. AERIAL BROADSIDE VIEW OF THE HEAVY CRUISER HMAS AUSTRALIA (II) AT ANCHOR OFF PALM ISLAND. THE AUSTRALIA HAS BEEN PAINTED IN AN EXTREMELY DARK GREY COLOUR SCHEME, PROBABLY MS1, WHICH REPLACED THE PREVIOUS DISRUPTIVE SCHEME IN 1942-07. SHE IS FITTED WITH TYPE 271 SURFACE SEARCH RADAR IN ITS DISTINCTIVE LANTERN MOUNTED IMMEDIATELY ABAFT THE DIRECTOR. TYPE 284 FIRE CONTROL RADAR HAS BEEN FITTED TO THE FACE OF THE DIRECTOR. AMERICAN SC RADAR IS FITTED AT THE TOP OF HER WHITE PAINTED FOREMAST FROM WHICH FLIES THE FLAG OF REAR ADMIRAL VICTOR A. CRUTCHLEY VC DSC RN, REAR ADMIRAL COMMANDING THE AUSTRALIAN SQUADRON. HER MAINTOPMAST HAS BEEN STRUCK. THE CLOSE RANGE ANTI AIRCRAFT ARMAMENT HAS BEEN AUGMENTED BY THE ADDITION OF TEN 20 MM OERLIKON AA GUNS. TWO ARE MOUNTED IN TUBS ON EACH OF B AND X TURRETS, FOUR ARE MOUNTED PORT AND STARBOARD AMIDSHIPS AND THE REMAINING TWO ARE IN TUBS THAT CAN ONLY JUST BE MADE OUT AT THE BASE OF THE SEARCHLIGHT TOWER. NOTE THE AMERICAN DESTROYER IN THE BACKGROUND. (NAVAL HISTORICAL COLLECTION).
Details
Photographer
No 7 Squadron RAAF
Classification
Photograph
Physical Description
Colour: Black & white
Copyright
Copyright expired - public domain
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