▁and ▁had ▁a ▁strong ▁interest ▁in ▁his ▁port folio . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁G orton ▁convinced ▁the ▁Cab inet ▁to ▁fund ▁a ▁program ▁to ▁re inv ig or ate ▁the ▁F AA , ▁starting ▁with ▁the ▁purchase ▁of ▁ 2 7 ▁West land ▁W esse x ▁anti - sub marine ▁hel ic op ters . ▁At ▁this ▁time ▁it ▁was ▁planned ▁to ▁retain ▁Melbourne ▁as ▁a ▁hel ic opter ▁car rier , ▁but ▁in ▁mid - 1 9 6 3 ▁the ▁Government ▁gave ▁the ▁Navy ▁permission ▁to ▁retain ▁the ▁Sea ▁Ven oms ▁and ▁G ann ets ▁in ▁service ▁until ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁Minister ▁for ▁Def ence ▁Senator ▁Sh ane ▁Pal tr idge ▁rejected ▁a ▁proposal ▁from ▁the ▁Navy ▁to ▁purchase ▁an ▁Es sex - class ▁aircraft ▁car rier ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁and ▁the ▁next ▁month ▁Melbourne ▁under to ok ▁flight ▁tri als ▁with ▁A - 4 ▁Sky h aw ks ▁and ▁Gr um man ▁S - 2 ▁Track ers ▁during ▁a ▁visit ▁to ▁U . S . ▁Naval ▁Base ▁Sub ic ▁Bay ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines . ▁The ▁Sky h awk ▁was ▁a ▁particularly ▁light ▁and ▁compact ▁attack ▁plane , ▁with ▁a ▁wing ▁small ▁enough ▁to ▁not ▁require ▁a ▁fol ding ▁mechanism . ▁American ▁Track ers ▁had ▁previously ▁flow n ▁off ▁the ▁car rier ▁during ▁exer cis es ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁and ▁the ▁Royal ▁Canadian ▁Navy ▁had ▁successfully ▁tri alled ▁Sky h