Australia issued a single stamp on 09 April 1998 of 45c that showed us a helicopter above a deck of a war vessel.
The first Day cover gives the following details on the stamp:
50th ANNIVERSARRY RAN FLEET AIR ARM 1998.
The Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Australian Navy came into existence with the commissioning of the Air Base at Nowra, NSW, HMAS ALBATROSS on 31 August 1948. The FAA flew its first combat missions on 05 October 1951 in Korea, and has since been involved in Vietnam, the Gulf War conflicts, and United Nations peacekeeping duties. The Fleet Air Arm has also been prominent in coastal surveillance and civil disaster relief operations, with helicopters regularly assisting in flood relief, bushfire control and sea rescue operations. Currently the RAN operates Seahawk Sea King, Squirrel and Kiowa helicopters from frigates, survey and supply ships.
The jubilee of HMAS ALBATROSS and the Fleet Air Arm is being celebrated with an international reunion at the Australian Naval Aviation Museum, 28 October- 02 November 1998.
The stamp shows a Sea Hawk helicopter landing on a guided missile frigate.
The cover photograph shows a Firefly aircraft on HMAS SYDNEY (c 1954) being loaded before take off.
Which guided missile frigate is depict is not given, but Australia did have when the stamp was issued six guided missile frigates according the Australian Navy website, belonging to the Adelaide Class.
ADELAIDE commissioned 15 Nov. 1980, CANBERRA commissioned 21 March 1981, SYDNEY commissioned 28 Jan. 1983, DARWIN commissioned 21 July 1984, MELBOURNE commissioned 15 Feb. 1992 and NEWCASTLE commissioned 11 Dec. 1993, the first four were built in the USA by Todd shipbuilders, and are after a Perry Class design of the USA Navy, the last two at Williamstown, Australia.
Displacement 3.962 tons full load, dim. 138.6 x 13.72 x 4.52m.
Powered by two General Electric LM5000 gas turbines, 40.000 shp, single controllable-pitch propeller. Speed maximum 30 knots.
Armament when built: 1 – 76mm gun, 1 Standard anti aircraft/Harpoon anti surface missile launcher, 2 Mk32 torpedo tubes.
Can carry two helicopters.
Crew 190.
All are still in service (2005) in the Royal Australian Navy.
On the First Day cover is depict HMAS SYDNEY.
She was laid down on the Royal Dockyard at Devonport as a light fleet aircraft carrier on 19 April 1943.
30 September 1944 launched under the name HMS TERRIBLE. One of the Majestic class.
Displacement 14.000 ton, dim. 695 x 80 x 21.4ft., beam across flight deck 112.6ft.
Powered by Parsons turbines, 42.000 shp., twin screws, speed 24½ knots.
Armament 30 – 40mm AA guns, built to carry 39 to 44 aircraft.
Construction was halted early 1946.
16 December 1948 taken over by the Royal Australian Navy and renamed HMAS SYDNEY.
05 February 1949 accepted for service. Crew under Australian flag 1.343.
Armament 26 – 40mm, and a capacity for 35 aircraft.
12 April 1949 sailed from Devonport, with on board the 20th Carrier Air Group, arrived at Sydney 02 June 1949.
Used for exercise in home waters before she returned to the U.K. in July 1950 to embark the 21st Carrier Group in Portsmouth.
After her return in Australia in December again used for exercise in the Australian waters till September 1951, when she was ordered to proceed to Korea to relieve HMS GLORY.
She was operational during the Korean War from 04 October 1951 till 25 January 1952, her airplanes flew 2336 sorties against enemy positions, air searches etc..
She lost 4 Fireflies and 9 Sea Furies.
27 January 1952 she sailed from Japan homeward bound.
During 1952 was she an observer ship to the atomic bomb tests at Monte Bello Island.
March 1953 she sailed from Australia for Queen Elisabeth her coronation, and she attended the Coronation Fleet Review at Spithead.
Returned to Australia via the United States, Panama Canal, Pearl Harbour and New Zealand.
27 October 1953 she sailed for her second war tour to Korea from Fremantle, but it comprised only Armistice Patrols from 27 October 1953 till 02 June 1954, not any aircraft was lost.
After her return she carried out training cruises around the Australian coast and New Zealand waters till she was decommissioned in special reserve on 30 May 1958. Altogether in these years she has steamed 315.958 miles.
07 March 1962 recommissioned as a Fast Troop Transport for the war in Vietnam, after a small conversion.
As a Fast Troop Transport, she had a crew of 607.
August 1963 she landed for the first time during exercise Carbine, landing troops, equipment and vehicles in Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia.
May 1964 transported a full load of Army and RAAF units with their equipment to Malaysia.
1969 She received 6 landing craft vehicle personnel (LCVP), most of her armament was removed, she kept only 4 – 40mm guns, and the troop and heavy equipment capacity was increased.
27 May 1965, 450 soldiers of B Company of the first Battalion embarked at Sydney and there equipment, and escorted by the destroyer HMAS DUCHESS she sailed for her first voyage to Vietnam, where she arrived at Vung Tau on 8 June.
March 1972 she completed her 23rd voyage to the war zone in Vietnam.
01 November 1972 she sailed from Sydney for a training cruise around Singapore and Jakarta. Then via Hong Kong and Subic Bay, Philippines she returned home early the next year.
July 1973 decommissioned and placed in reserve till she was sold for AUD$ 673.516 to Dong Kuk Steel Mill Co.Ltd., South Korea.
23 December 1975 at 13.00 she sailed from Sydney under tow of a Japanese tug for the breakers yard.
Australia 1998 45c sg?, scott?
Source: http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/asiapac/austral.htm http://www.faaaa.asn.au/pictures/ships/sydney3.htm Australian & New Zealand Warships since 1946 by Ross Gillett. Devonport built warships since 1860 by K.V.Burns.