Aitape

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shipstamps
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Aitape

Post by shipstamps » Thu Sep 04, 2008 5:39 pm


She was one of the Attack class patrol boats, steel hulled with an alloy superstructure, of which 20 were built for the Royal Australian Navy. Built under yard No 48 by Walkers Ltd., Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.
November 1966 laid down. 06 July 1967 launched under the name AITAPE (P84). Launching was performed by Mrs. Maloat Pallau, wife of the member for Manus in the Papua New Guinea House of Assembly. She was named after the Atape area of Papua New Guinea.
Displacement 100 tons standard, 146 tons full load. Dim. 32.76 x 6.2 x 1.9m. (draught). Powered by two 16-cyl. Davey Paxman 16 YJCM diesel engines, 3.460 bhp., twin screws, speed 24 knots.
Range 1.200 miles by a speed of 13 knts.
Armament 1 – 40mm gun, 1 – 81mm mortar and 2 – 0.5mm. Browing M.G. She could also carry mines and depth-charges. Crew 19-25.
13 November 1967 commissioned in the RAN in Brisbane under command of Lieut. Commander W.S.G. Bateman. After commissioned and a work in period she headed on 20 December 1967 for Papua New Guinea arriving of Manus. At that time the crew included also 5 men from Papua New Guinea. Thereafter used in the waters off Papua New Guinea for patrol service.
March 1969 she together with LAE visited Pohnepel and Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia.
Early 1970 she rescued 12 men from a wrecked Indonesia vessel AVERIUS 192 km north of Wewak were she was grounded on a reef.
December 1970 she with the LADAVA entered the Fly River and navigated 795 kilometres upstream to Kiunga, returning back in Port Moresby on 17 December 1970.
January 1971 she rescued the crew of the WAILAWA.
March 1971 she escorted the Royal Yacht BRITANNIA from Manus to Madang, on board the Royal yacht was the Duke of Edinburg.
After a refit in Sydney she returned in Papua New Guinea in February 1972, took part in Exercise Panti Manua in the Milne Bay area.
After cyclone Hannah devastated the north-east coast of Papua New Guinea she transported medical supplies and stores to the area. From July till September 1973 she underwent a refit in Cairns, returning to her base in Manus Island on 8 October 1973.
14 November 1974 decommissioned and transferred to the Papua New Guinea, renamed in HMPNGS AITAPE.
She was used in the Papua New Guinea Defence force till she was paid off on in 1982. Thereafter used for spares for the other patrol boats, when all useable spares were used, she lingered around in Port Moresby for many years.
1995 She was sunk as a dive site south east of Port Moresby, on the inside of the reef that’s protects the coast.

Source: Australian New Zealand Warships since 1946. http://www.michaelmcfadyenscuba.info/vi ... age_id=355 Auke Palmhof

aukepalmhof
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Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

Re: Aitape

Post by aukepalmhof » Sun Oct 25, 2020 4:41 am

Papua New Guinea 1981 40t sg 410
Attachments
1981 Aitape--patrol-boat-and-seamen.jpg

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