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| History of this Model in this Organisation: | | |
Mk50 was the first fully uprated version of the Sea King HAS.1 to fly (30 Jun 1974), incorporating many features of the RN HAS.2. 10 ordered by Australian Navy, with deliveries from Autumn 1974.  Sea King Mk.50 replaced the Westland Wessex HAS.31 as the RAN's ASW Helicopter. During the first five years of operation, a number of aircraft were lost due primarily to a loss of Main Gear box oil. Two more Sea Kings (the MK.50A) were acquired from Westlands in 1980 and had increased internal cabin space. Following the 1982 retirement of the carrier HMAS Melborne, by Jan 2004 Australian Sea Kings could still operate from the replenishment vessel HMAS Success (OR 304), the landing ship heavy HMAS Tobruk (L 50) and the amphibious transport ships HMAS Kanimbla (L 51) and HMAS Manoora (L 52). 3 further examples ordered at Mk50A standard as attrition replacements in early 1980s. RAN Sea King Mk50 typical fit included Racal ARI 5955/2 lightweight radar, Racal Navigation System RNS252, Racal Doppler 91, ADF Bendix/King KDF 806A and Tacan AN/ARN 118. All serving Mk50 airframes have been upgraded to Mk50A standard through a mid-life extension (LOTE) project.
The Sea King fleet was used in the anti-submarine warfare and submarine training role. In 1995, the AQS-13B sonar
was removed and since then, the Sea King's main role has changed to maritime utility support. |
| Units with this Model in this Organisation: | | |
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| Roles of this Model in this Organisation: | | |
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| Construction Numbers of this Model in this Organisation: | | |
| C/N | Built | In this Organisation | In other Org | wa 787  | 1974 | N16-098: ff 30 Jun 1974, dd 2 Mar 1975 Ex G-17-1. First RAN Sea King delivered. On board HMAS Melbourne with HS-817 for the Silver Jubilee deployment during summer 1977. Ditched in sea 23 May 79 following tail rotor failure.
| | | | wa 788 | 1974 | N16-100: ff 6 Aug 1974, dd 8 Apr 1975. Ex G-17-2. To HS817/902 by Jan 1993, Converted to Mk50A. Aboard HMAS Manoora for Pacific Island deployment, (Christmas Island and Nauru during Sep 2001). Crashed at Amandraya, on the Indonesian island of Nias, on Saturday 2 April 2005 at approximately 7:30 pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time), whilst operating from HMAS Kanimbla during Operation Sumatra Assist (Phase 2), helping earthquake victims.
| | | | wa 789 | 1974 | N16-112: ff 16 Oct 1974, dd 16 Apr 1975. Ex G-17-3, to G-BCHY, to RAN HS-817/903. Emergency Landing in sea 15 Jul 1986 off Kiama during Anti Submarine exercise with HMAS Adelaide when transmission oil lost. Capsized in the moderate sea. HMAS Adelaide attempted salvage struck the floating fuselage and the aircraft sank.
| | | | wa 790 | 1974 | N16-113: ff 24 Oct 1974, ex G-17-4, G-BCHZ. To RAN dd 22 Apr 1975 as HS-817/904. Ditched in Jervis Bay 30 Nov 1976 after transmission failure. Sank during salvage attempt.
| | | | wa 791 | 1974 | N16-114: ff 13 Oct 1974, ex G-17-5, G-BCIA, dd 11 Jul 1975 to RAN HS817/905. Appeared in special 817 Sq paint scheme during year 2000. Part of the Christmas Island border protection force between Jul and Dec 2002. Deployed on HMAS Success during Sept 2003. HS-817/905, callsign Shark 05.
| | | | wa 792 | 1974 | N16-117: ff 13 Dec 1974 as G-17-6. dd 27 Jan 1975 to RAN. To HS817/906, Ditched in Jervis Bay 13 Nov 1975 and recovered. To Australia Museum of Flight, Nowra, NSW.
| | | | wa 878 | 1979 | N16-918: dd 25 Jun 1996 to RAN as N16-918. Purchased as replacement for N16-124 and became RAN N16-918. Converted to Mk50A via LOTE on delivery. HS817Sq/922 by Jul 1996. 1st Sea King to land on HMAS Manoora for first-of-type trials. Deployed to Solomon Islands in 2003 aboard HMAS Manoora. In Service HS-817/922.
|  XZ918: ff 3 Apr 1979, dd 6 Jun 1979, HAS.5 820Sq/020-N by Jan 1985, ditched in Mediterranean 8 Nov 1985 following loss of main gearbox oil while with 814 Sq, recovered. 820Sq/020-R by 1988. Sold to RAN.
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