HMAS Brisbane : Combat Data Centre : Panel with equipment

The panel is a large rectangular alloy sheet, painted grey, with folded edges on the two short sides and with eight bolt holes on each of the long edges. Attached to the panel are numerous piece of equipment. Along the top of the board are three grey indicator boxes. They each have a black indicator gauge face on the front and a grey turn switch beneath. They are (from left to right) 1. Underwater Log Equipment Speed Indicator Type I, Serial No: 4L4N 862, made by the Electric Tachometer Corp, 2. Rudder Angle Equipment Speed Indicator Type 1C/1UA11-3, Serial No: 4N7N-1320, made by the Electric Tachometer Corp and 3. Engine Order Equipment Indicator Type IC/2UA01-2, no serial No. On the far RHS at the top of mount board is a Servo Tape Repeater, Serial No: 1134. This unit is rectangular in shape, has been painted grey, and has a small rectangular glass window at the front through which various readings can be seen. A large power cable is protruding from the bottom. In the middle of the board (from left to right) is a telephone selector assembly. It is rectangular in shape although has a circular dial on the front. The dial is broken into various sections which read `JL, 1JV, X1JV, X6J1, X6J2, JC, JCT, 8JP, 81JS. A white arrow beside the dial indicates which section has been selected. A single pin power plug is on the left hand side of the unit with a black leashed cover. Next to the assembly are two circular Buzzer Type 1C/Z1S4 units which read STBD Engine Order and PORT Engine Order. They are connected to the Rudder Angle Equipment above. Next is a circular bell, type IC/B1S4, then two more Buzzer units and a Port/Starboard indicator light. At the bottom left hand corner of the panel Telephone bracket and handset, whose cord is connected to the grey box on its right. The plate on the front of the box reads CKT 8JP A.S.W Weapons Group Cont. The box be opened by unscrewing the bolt at the top. When open the inside of the box has 20 tear-shaped switches all with descrip

This component was removed from HMAS Brisbane after the ship was de-commissioned in 2001. The panel was fitted in the Combat Data Centre near the Plot Table (REL32982.040) and mounts equipment providing information on the status of ship systems including engine speed, rudder position etc. HMAS Brisbane [II] was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy in December 1967 and was the second vessel of that name to serve in the RAN. Known officially as DDG-41, Brisbane was the third of the RAN's American-built "Charles F. Adams" class guided-missiles destroyers. This class were the first major Australian warships designed and built in America, and were constructed by the Defoe Shipbuilding Co. The original complement of the Brisbane was 20 officers and over 300 sailors. Main armament was two 5-inch/54 calibre guns and anti-submarine torpedoes. The Ikara missile system was subsequently added. In later service the ship was known by the nick-name ‘the Steel Cat’. The HMAS Brisbane saw operational service in two conflicts. During the Vietnam War the ship undertook two tours of duty with the United States Seventh Fleet, in 1969 and again in 1971. The ship’s major task was to provide gunfire support for the land campaign. During the Gulf War (1990-91), Brisbane was one of four Australian warships to serve a tour in Gulf waters. The Brisbane arrived in the Gulf in December 1990 and operated there until March 1991, performing a number of roles. Apart from contributing to the anti-aircraft defences in the carrier screen, the ship also kept watch for mines and ensured that small civilian craft kept well away from the carrier group. Later, during Operation Desert Storm, the Brisbane controlled fighter combat air patrols and tanker aircraft. The ship’s final role was as an escort for US replenishment ships. In 2003 HMAS Brisbane was retired from service in the Royal Australian Navy. The Brisbane was the last steam powered ship in the RAN. HMAS Brisbane was sunk as a recreational dive wreck off the coast of southern Queensland in July 2005.