AWD Models delivered in formal handover

On May 12 2008 the AWD Alliance met a small but significant milestone. Attachment five to the AWD Alliance Based Target Incentive Agreement (ABTIA) calls for three scale models of the Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers. Whilst other contract deliverables have already been made, these are the first physical objects to be delivered to the client.

Alliance CEO John Gallacher officially handed the models over to Commodore Andrew Cawley, Deputy Program Manager, representing the Commonwealth of Australia in a brief ceremony on Monday May 12.

John Gallacher said, “These models, unlike the ones we’ve previously seen, show exactly how our ships will look, with all of the modifications required by the Royal Australian Navy.”

Commodore Cawley said the models would help systems developers and those involved in the project to see the three-dimensional operating environment of the warship.

The highly detailed models are built to the scale of 1:72 giving them a total length of over two metres. The hull is moulded fibreglass whilst the rest of the ship is constructed from laser-cut plastic and resin cast details.

The models have been created by Russ French at Defence Models and Graphics who has been putting groundwork into the project since the decision to build the ships was announced.
“I was really happy to get the job,” said Russ, “We were keen to build these models from the start. The fact that we have already built the USS Winston S Churchill in the same scale made the job a whole lot easier, as we already had a lot of parts cast that are compatible with the Hobart Class.”

One of the models will remain with the Alliance in Adelaide, whilst the other two will be taken by the Commonwealth for display in other locations.