Thread: Bunnies outfits HMAS Kanimbla

Gee - what a surprise. I climbed over that floating hunk of rust, when it was a floating hunk of rust just from the US navy.

Oh wait - sounds like it still is. Remember at the time her sister ship (MANOORA(?)) had a crack running for 15 feet, and when it rained, water ran from the bridge deckhead into the Pusser's cabin.

The desalination plant (a flash evaporator) was just a literal pile of near unrecognizable rust.

Remind me - why do retired ships from the USN get commissioned into other navies?

Originally Posted by Stuart.

Remind me - why do retired ships from the USN get commissioned into other navies?

Pay for the overseas adventures?

I thought that this was the first time we had bought second hand ships from the US. We mainly bought ships from the UK (or UK designs) until the 1980's. The exception being the Charles F Adams class of destroyers (Brisbane, Hobart, Perth) in the 1960's.

From the 80's onwards it has been a mixed bag.

No wonder we can't buy shyte at Bunnies no that should read no wonder thats all we can buy at Bunnies shyte.

Was there today to buy some melemine what a joke 600x1800 quality sheets not eged $12 600x1800 edged crap quality $24. guess which I bought got a laundry cabinet to make.

Originally Posted by markharrison

I thought that this was the first time we had bought second hand ships from the US. We mainly bought ships from the UK (or UK designs) until the 1980's. The exception being the Charles F Adams class of destroyers (Brisbane, Hobart, Perth) in the 1960's.

From the 80's onwards it has been a mixed bag.

We have been a regular UN and even our "home built" have been foreign designs FFG - US, Success - French, Minehunters - Italy, Collins - Sweedish, Anzacs - German. the new LPH's (d's?) and Airwarfare Destroyer - Spanish. It will be novel to have the same design philosophy in two concurrent new classes! At one stage we looked at the Kidd class Destroyers built for the Shah of Iran which would have technically been second hand but crew size killed it.

Pusser

Just a guess, but seeing that it cost more to refit "Kanimbla" and "Manoora" than to build 2 new vessels, then maybe they were bought to bolster the ecomomy of Newcastle.

Whatever the reasons I bet that there were some celebtratory dinners hosted when those vessels were towed clear of US waters.

Americans very good at passing off their worn out rubbish at a profit. During Second World War they "sold" England several antiquated destroyers at a time when England was desperately fighting the U boat battle alone in the North Atlantic. The Brits knew they were being conned but beggars can't be choosers. The Royal Navy referred to them as the Four Funnel Flivvers. The price? Permanent bases in England which are still American to the point that no Englishman can enter them without US say so.

Next time you hear a politician go on about special relationships just remember what a British politician once said. "No country has permanent friends, no country has permanent enemies. All countries have permanent interests"