Under a colourful sunrise, a Grumman Tracker snarls her way off the deck of HMAS Melbourne and retracts here gear as she leaves the flight deck. This attractive reproduction an excellent reminder of the superlative carrier skills now lost to aviation. To put this machine down on Melbourne’s tiny deck with only a two metres to spare past the “island”, in dirty weather when the deck is heaving dangerously, is a skill developed only by the finest of aviators.

The Tracker could carry two torpedoes or four depth charges along with six rockets. MAD underwater detection equipment and a swing-mounted searchlight were also fitted. Tracker, side No.845 shown in the painting still flies with the Royal Australian Navy Historic flight.