View Full Version : Chinooks on Ark - The Documentary
TURNBULL
23rd Jul 2003, 00:41
Got a heads up from a friend who tells me that a documentary about life on Ark Royal during the recent Gulf conflict starts on Ch 5 tommorrow night at 2000. As we had Chinnys on the Ark at the time, I wonder if they'll feature at all, as it is basically a fishhead managed PR exercise. Or am I just being cynical?
Lets all look through the round window, sorry porthole, and see children!
doubledolphins
23rd Jul 2003, 08:21
If you had spent long enough in Ark Royal to warrant a mention you would know that the round windows are called "scuttles". Port holes are what P&O ships have. On the subject of P&O, the one time a Chinook landed on Canberra's midships flight deck in 1982 did feature in a couple of films. (showing the missing cockpit door beautifuly.)
jack_k
23rd Jul 2003, 16:25
But for the RAF, the Ark Royal is exactly like a P&O ferry. It gets our aircraft to where we need them just like putting my car on a ferry to France. Even get a bar on board as well.
Arkroyal
23rd Jul 2003, 17:05
And the crabs like her so much they tried to load lift the entire ship in 1987.
Luckily the chains weren't stressed to 20000 tons, and all they managed to kidnap was a hapless sailor, who wound up in Aldergrove until the quaint idea of dis-engaging the stab system on deck dawned on the land-lubbers.:p
Training Risky
23rd Jul 2003, 18:17
Air-lubbers, I think you'll find?;)
jockspice
23rd Jul 2003, 21:14
Jack_k
You could tell the light blue saw it as a ferry when trying to park a flying chacon with a land rover under it in flyco, instead of on the deck like the rest of us do.
Many a bottle of bubbly bought with a shaky hand that night!!:=
That aside, great bunch on board and no doubt the bagpipes will be featured tonight.:ok:
TURNBULL
24th Jul 2003, 13:27
Well, was I right? Just what I thought would happen, careful editing to ensure that the main reason the floating hotel and garage was there in the first place was never mentioned. Well done to 'Macca', at least he got a look in!
I can only hope that episodes 2 and 3 redress the balance!
jockspice
24th Jul 2003, 19:36
The series is called "Ark Royal", not "Crabs on Ark Royal".
Low Ball
24th Jul 2003, 19:49
Great programme and really looking forward to the next episodes. That is all except the whinging RAF cook - goodness me he was boring, devoid of sense of humour. At least the female Navy chef was a bit of a laugh. Quite why he attracted so much 'air time' I cannot imagine.
Well done all on the Ark - Captain reasonable on guitar as well :O
Training Risky
24th Jul 2003, 21:32
Gratuitous wokka shots - lots of them: great!
Why were the guys who flew them not talked to though?
Good to see T*** B***e getting his point across about the marching rabble!
doubledolphins
24th Jul 2003, 22:46
Tunrbull can't have been watching the same programme as me. The title sequence had some large twin rotor helos in it, setting the scene nicely for the light blue. Why the Crab Chef though? I thought only paranoid primadonnas, like Michael Jackson (the singer not the General) took their own cooks with them when going out.
newswatcher
24th Jul 2003, 22:54
TR, remember this is a three-part series. Maybe you will get your wish in the remaining two parts. Next week sees the deployment of Marines to Kuwait/Iraq.:ok:
TURNBULL
25th Jul 2003, 02:34
Doubledolphin,
We watched the same programme! Instead of a meaty bit of documentary, featuring the boys who really went to war, the producers have got a mediocre soap set in a floating hotel! Starring the cook, the bottle washer and a few guests.
Why was the right hand seater in the Seaking wearing an IMC hood during the sequence when they intercepted the Kuwaiti Fast Patrol Boat? Artistic licence on the part of Ch5?
Just curious :cool:
LXGB
Training Risky
25th Jul 2003, 16:49
Maybe it was an Interception: Marine Craft hood:D