HMS Invincible to China?

[Prawn2king4]

I didn't know Invincible was being auctioned off - but apparently she is. And Lin Jianbang (sic- China Global Times), a Chinese born British businessman has submitted an offer of around 6 million US. If the bid is successful, the plan is to have her transported to China (now there's a story in itself) and convert her into a navigation school for Chinese students in Zhuhai (S China sea coast). I'm not too sure why someone should go to all this trouble instead of building something in house, but perhaps it's something to do with the Chinese sense of humour.

[herkman]

Maybe it is more like he wants to start his own Naval Flying Group.

Regards

Col

[Load Toad]

They have a Russian Carrier at Minsk world in Shenzhen:

Ã÷˼¿Ëº½Ä¸»¶Ó*Äã (http://www.szminsk.com/)

I used to drive past a concrete aircraft carrier driving from Shanghai to Yixing - near Wuxi I think - another themed museum:

China 2010 Day 4 (http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/china2010_day04.html)

Chinese seem to love novelties like this.

[Dan Winterland]

You can see the Minsk on the few clear days we have in Hong Kong departing to the north through BEKOL. Your'e right about the Chinese obsession with aircraft carriers. In the late 90's a Chinese 'Businessman'' bought the ex Soviet carrier, the Varyag from the Ukraine. It was originally intended to be a floating casino moored off Macao, but ended up in the dockyards at Dalian being refitted. It's going to be re-launched next year as a training ship for the Chinese Navy so that they can get experience for their own carriers, the first of which will come into service in 2020.

They have also built a concrete replica of their first carrier at Wuhan to train crews and get experience of deck operations.

[Dan Winterland]

Harry's view from the South China Morining Post, 7 Jan 2011

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb73/dbchippy/invincible.jpg

[Navaleye]

I can't see why they would want it. Invincible is a stripped out hulk. It is standard practice for the Fleet Maintenance Group (FMG) to give it their attention. This involves removing anything that can be removed and smashing anything that's left, such as gauges, dials, and any remaining navigational kit. I saw this first hand when I went on Bulwark in 82. China isn't short of cash, but a 3 point tow from Pompey to China won't be cheap. The Chinese Navy aren't going STOVL, so its no use to them. They already have Melbourne and Varyag as a blueprint. Lastly, I can't see the MoD going along with it.

[TEEEJ]

Their cunning plan is all working out. Harrier in China. :)

Photo Search Results | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=XZ965)

TJ

[fallmonk]

If the bid is successful maybe the MoD will do a "buy one get one free" deal with the Harriers !
All joking aside didn't the MoD GIVE away FREE tank transporters to I think it was Oman because the bought a load off tanks ? (can't remember if the tanks they was new or surplus stock)

[kluge]

TEEJ

The "British collector" was Ray Hanna.

The aircraft he swapped it for was a Lavochkin La-9 - a rather impressive radial engined fighter. It was/is flying out of Wanaka NZ but I understand is now destined for the US. A comparison with a Sea Fury would be interesting.

The Beijing museum where the GR3 is located has some very interesting artifacts incuding a P-61. However the quality of the exhibits is poor unfortunately.

...apologies for thread creep.

[GreenKnight121]

Man bids to turn aircraft carrier into school - Yahoo! News (http://ca.news.yahoo.com/man-bids-turn-aircraft-carrier-school-20110107-021906-798.html)
A Hong Kong businessman has offered to pay about $7.7 million for the British aircraft carrier HMS Invincible so he can turn it into an international school in China, a report said Friday.
The South China Morning Post reported that Lam Kin-bong made the bid at an online auction for the decommissioned ship, which played a key role in the 1982 Falkland Islands conflict between Argentina and Britain.
Lam, who operates the popular Wing Wah chain of Chinese restaurants in Britain, offered to pay five million pounds ($7.7 million) in the auction, which stopped taking bids Wednesday, the paper said.
If he wins the auction, Lam plans to tow the 22,000-tonne Invincible to the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai, near Hong Kong and Macau, and turn it into a school "to help foster communication and cultural ties between China and Britain", the report said.
Lam could not be reached for comment on Friday.
The entrepreneur told the Post that he had no plans to use the ship for military purposes, amid US concerns about Beijing's military build-up.
"My intentions are purely commercial and have nothing to do with the military," Lam was quoted as saying.
Lam said another option is to berth the vessel in the English city of Liverpool and turn it into "a school to boost the understanding of China and the Chinese in Britain".
A British defence ministry spokeswoman told the Post that the vessel would be stripped of all its components.
"In effect, whoever buys equipment like this is buying a shell", she added.