First new Japanese CV!

[Flash]

But didn't the Royal Navy do Harrier ops off merchant ships during Falklands? Operating off the tops of steel cargo containers?

They only used a pair of container ships to ferry the Harriers down there, except for a the fly offs and a few short test hops they didn't do ops off the container ships. They also did them on the bow with extra plates for the jet blast and two rows of containers to protect most of the aircraft.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Maybe not - just read this: http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/navy-builds-ship-for-f-35-ship-needs-months-of-upgrade-1697523492

Looks like Major General Heinz fully deserved his unseating as the F-35B program manager

FA is the internet blog equivalent of that air show nerd who "knows everything" about the plane you fly despite never having been a pilot or in the military, and argues with you about what it can and can't do.

 

[Flash]

Here are some pics of he Atlantic Conveyor, one of the container ships that took Harriers and helos down to the Falklands during the war.

Her deck full of Harriers with one on deck alert:

Test flying the last of the Harriers she took down with two Chinooks ready to go next:

After being struck by one or two Exocets, only one of the Chinooks made it off before she was hit and sunk. Twelve men were lost including her Captain, a WWII veteran.

 

[Austin-Powers]

Here are some pics of he Atlantic Conveyor, one of the container ships that took Harriers and helos down to the Falklands during the war.

Her deck full of Harriers with one on deck alert:

Test flying the last of the Harriers she took down with two Chinooks ready to go next:

After being struck by one or two Exocets, only one of the Chinooks made it off before she was hit and sunk. Twelve men were lost including her Captain, a WWII veteran.

On the second picture...why does it have that long thing sticking out right near where the Harrier could make its landing?

 

[Flash]

On the second picture...why does it have that long thing sticking out right near where the Harrier could make its landing?

It's a foremast where they mount lights and antennas. Normal on some merchant ships, apparently they didn't feel it was necessary to cut it down to utilize the landing spot.

 

[Austin-Powers]

It's a foremast where they mount lights and antennas. Normal on some merchant ships, apparently they didn't feel it was necessary to cut it down to utilize the landing spot.

One gust and that's all she wrote for a Harrier dude...

 

[danpass]

On the second picture...why does it have that long thing sticking out right near where the Harrier could make its landing?

They kept it on purpose as a landing aid.

Podcast from the squadron commander talking about it:

http://cimsec.org/sea-control-101-falklands-10-21-days-to-take-a-squadron-to-war/19976


.

 

[Austin-Powers]

They kept it on purpose as a landing aid.

Podcast from the squadron commander talking about it:

http://cimsec.org/sea-control-101-falklands-10-21-days-to-take-a-squadron-to-war/19976


.

Awesome thanks!

 

[Pags]

One gust and that's all she wrote for a Harrier dude...

Not so much. You don't operate war planes from ships without a lot of forethought.

 

[Uncle Fester]

They only used a pair of container ships to ferry the Harriers down there, except for a the fly offs and a few short test hops they didn't do ops off the container ships. They also did them on the bow with extra plates for the jet blast and two rows of containers to protect most of the aircraft.

Might also have been thinking of this incident, when an RN Harrier made an emergency landing on a small Spanish container ship. Tested the "any landing you can walk away from" theory...