Those were the days - HMS Ark Royal deck landings

[Mr-AEO]

Great Link EM, really great

My old man was on the Ark and I saw a lot of photos but not much film footage like that. I got very nervous just waiting for that last Bucaneer to land on his 7th approach! It must take real metal and skill to put a jet on the deck of a carrier especially when the weathers a bit poor. A couple of questions if I may.

- They were going to divert a Phantom to shore if he didn't land next attempt because of his fuel state. Obviously this isn't an option when they are a long way out to sea, so what would they do then? Did they have any 'local' tanking capability?

- I noticed the yaw on landing; do you think that a JCA will be able to land and stop safely on it's brakes alone? e.g. SRVL?

[Navaleye]

Mr-AEO,

It is standard practice (or was in my time) to have a divert airfield available for any pilot making his first deck landing. I believe the same rule applied to the Shar/Harrier world.

[Fly3]

Initial embarkation was always carried out close to a diversion airfield and during non-diversion flying a Buccaneer tanker was manned and ready to go in Fly2 should anyone need a top-up.

[Lower Hangar]

Alert Tanker

It was normal to keep 2 out of the 14 Buccs permanently configured in Tanker role while embarked and as Navaleye stated during no diversion flying to keep 1 tanker burning & turning in Fly 2 - it made it a b****er to get out of ACR doorway during this time

[Mr-AEO]

Thanks for your answers.

[Epsilon minus]

More Buccaneer

I guess I will run out of this stuff eventually

[Epsilon minus]

Just found this! Ooooh!!
Overboard Off The Ark

[con-pilot]

Just found this! Ooooh!!
Overboard Off The Ark

Oops.

At least no one was in it.

[Schiller]

Bucc off the Ark

The aircraft, a Mk 1, was an old airframe being sacrificed to make a training film for aircraft handlers - the "How Not To Do It" bit!

[Epsilon minus]

where did this happen?