Now this is a man's Wessex, single engine and no drab colours. Ark SAR seen in the plane-guard position on Ark Royal circa 1970, probably Smudge (Keith) Smith at the controls.
and this is an 824 Sea King about to land as soon as the planks were on-board the ship would turn hard-a-port and Flyco would say "land the plane guard, Sea King to Fly3" and we would dash in to land in our tiny parking spot behind the island before the deck became a sloping moving gust-ridden hell.
Of course mini carriers like Albion would have been fun but life on board a proper carrier like Ark was a whole different kettle of fish. Sea Kings flew the plane guard whenever our Mk1 Wessex were 'indisposed' and that was amazing. The Phantoms of full re-heat made such a racket that you could not even feel the noise and vibration from your own machine.
G.