HMS Ark Royal /Harriers/ Procedure Alpha
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: crewe
Age: 74
Posts: 438
HMS Ark Royal /Harriers/ Procedure Alpha
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: North East England
Posts: 171
As a civvy (radio journo) lucky enough to have been on board to witness the last Harrier land on, I would like to say how moving it was.
No one can understand the decision to chop the aircraft and that wonderful ship, but the way the RN and RAF guys are carrying on with business is an honour to see.
I have worked closely with ARKR and her sisters over the past decade and a half, so it is very hard for me to be objective.
It breaks your heart to meet and talk to skilled highly trained and extremely talented people in the Harrier and CV community now looking at a pretty bleak future.
The "For Sale" sign in one of the Harrier windows made me smile.
Boys and girls of ARKR and her squadrons. Bravo Zulu it has been an honour and a privilege to have spent time in your company. May your zeal not rest long. Dan Entwisle.
No one can understand the decision to chop the aircraft and that wonderful ship, but the way the RN and RAF guys are carrying on with business is an honour to see.
I have worked closely with ARKR and her sisters over the past decade and a half, so it is very hard for me to be objective.
It breaks your heart to meet and talk to skilled highly trained and extremely talented people in the Harrier and CV community now looking at a pretty bleak future.
The "For Sale" sign in one of the Harrier windows made me smile.
Boys and girls of ARKR and her squadrons. Bravo Zulu it has been an honour and a privilege to have spent time in your company. May your zeal not rest long. Dan Entwisle.
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Please please tell me that the Mighty Ark will end her days in a British yard? Then maybe, just maybe, I can fondly imagine a bit of her will be re-cycled into one of the new carriers and therefore something of the Ark will continue to sail the oceans.
Brother-in-law (ex RM) lives in Gateshead. He said that grown men stood on Swan Hunters slips and openly wept.
Brother-in-law (ex RM) lives in Gateshead. He said that grown men stood on Swan Hunters slips and openly wept.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lincolnshire
Age: 77
Posts: 16,744
It really is sad, we paid a visit to the Ark about 2 years ago as she was coming out of refit to work as a helicopter carrier - all that work wasted. That is what is so sad about many defence cuts.
You work had and spend money right up to the tape then suddenly - silence.
Buildings are maintained, stores are ordered paint is painted the nothing ...........
You work had and spend money right up to the tape then suddenly - silence.
Buildings are maintained, stores are ordered paint is painted the nothing ...........
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: with the wife
Posts: 352
My father's final job before he retired after being a shipwright at Swan Hunters for most of his working life, was to help lay the keel of the current Ark Royal.
Although she wasn't originally named as such, I believe the original intention was to name her 'Indomitable' ; the name change coming about as a result of, IIRC, the wave of emotion that followed the de-commissioning of the previous 'Ark'.
Will a similar wave cause the re-naming of another ship to perpetuate the name on the active list or would she, if the original name had stood, have been allowed to pass into history without a whimper?
Still sad to see a ship be discarded in such a manner when she could still usefully serve.
Although she wasn't originally named as such, I believe the original intention was to name her 'Indomitable' ; the name change coming about as a result of, IIRC, the wave of emotion that followed the de-commissioning of the previous 'Ark'.
Will a similar wave cause the re-naming of another ship to perpetuate the name on the active list or would she, if the original name had stood, have been allowed to pass into history without a whimper?
Still sad to see a ship be discarded in such a manner when she could still usefully serve.
Last edited by 4mastacker; 21st Nov 2010 at 16:04.
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Kilmarnock,United Kingdom
Age: 65
Posts: 339
Must admit that I would be more than pleased if we re-named both QE and POW to reflect the fact that they are aircraft carriers.
The Navy has made some strange choices for ship names in recent years. Given their role, Vengeance and Victorious for two of the Trident Boats was a strange choice and the Type 23s got named after Dukes! The only ones that made some sense were the Type 45's (though no HMS Diana) along with Albion and Bulwark.
The Navy has made some strange choices for ship names in recent years. Given their role, Vengeance and Victorious for two of the Trident Boats was a strange choice and the Type 23s got named after Dukes! The only ones that made some sense were the Type 45's (though no HMS Diana) along with Albion and Bulwark.
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: West Sussex
Age: 79
Posts: 4,454
A2QFI:
We must hope that it remains just a whisper! Any "South American" country having such capability would constitute a direct threat to the Falkland Islands, just as the Peruvian Mirages did in the previous "unpleasantness". We have already shot ourselves in one foot, to do so again to the other one might be more than mere carelessness.
There is a whisper that a "South American" Country is interested in a package of Ark Royal + some Harriers. We must hope that it is not the Mavinas claimants!
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Location: Location!
Posts: 2,024
The Navy has made some strange choices for ship names in recent years. Given their role, Vengeance and Victorious for two of the Trident Boats was a strange choice
No, not really, since the Ships Names Committee would have been very mindful of the fact that, consistent with the tradition of classing submarines in broadly alphabetical order, albeit not exclusively. For example, the last four submarine classes built have been R for RESOLUTION, S for SWIFTSURE, T for TRAFALGAR, U for UPHOLDER, hence the need for names beginning with V for what is effectively the V Class.
Appreciating that the last of that name was a light fleet carrier, I feel that VENGEANCE sounds a particularly appropriate name for an SSBN!
Jack
No, not really, since the Ships Names Committee would have been very mindful of the fact that, consistent with the tradition of classing submarines in broadly alphabetical order, albeit not exclusively. For example, the last four submarine classes built have been R for RESOLUTION, S for SWIFTSURE, T for TRAFALGAR, U for UPHOLDER, hence the need for names beginning with V for what is effectively the V Class.
Appreciating that the last of that name was a light fleet carrier, I feel that VENGEANCE sounds a particularly appropriate name for an SSBN!
Jack
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 1,771
For some reason I was under the impression that there is a tradition, unwritten or otherwise, that the RN fleet would always have an Ark Royal; it sure is better than Queen Elizabeth or Prince of Wales - the common theory of course being that those names were chosen as more difficult to cancel.
Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Derbyshire, England.
Posts: 4,076
When was the last HMS Queen Elizabeth please? Probably been a few since the sixteenth century. Was wondering if the last PoW was the one that went down with the Repluse?
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
Posts: 25,816
A2QFI, the British name arose from some sycophantic naval officer naming the channel between the islands after the Commissioner of the Admiralty who had sponsored the journey, whereas the first settlers named them the Īles Malouines after their home port.
Despite jingositic bluster, The International Standards Organisation name for these miserable lumps of peat, rock and goose $hit is Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
As for the names of the navy's forthcoming aircraftless carriers, traditional naval aircraft carrier names should of course be used.
Despite jingositic bluster, The International Standards Organisation name for these miserable lumps of peat, rock and goose $hit is Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
As for the names of the navy's forthcoming aircraftless carriers, traditional naval aircraft carrier names should of course be used.
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: The Roman Empire
Posts: 2,333
What, like HMS Pegasus?
Either the first (from the first to the last maybe?):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Pegasus_(1917)
or the one whose name was changed FROM ARK ROYAL!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Pegasus_(1934)
Assuming of course that wiki is correct?
Either the first (from the first to the last maybe?):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Pegasus_(1917)
or the one whose name was changed FROM ARK ROYAL!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Pegasus_(1934)
Assuming of course that wiki is correct?
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Not far from EGPH.
Posts: 116
When was the last HMS Queen Elizabeth please? Probably been a few since the sixteenth century. Was wondering if the last PoW was the one that went down with the Repluse?
Cunning Artificer
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: The spiritual home of DeHavilland
Age: 73
Posts: 3,122
25 years eh? When I left the RAF in 1977 one of my job interviews was at Ferranti. In the reception area they had a model of a nice new concept - what was then called a "Through-deck Cruiser" called the Illustrious class.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Southampton
Age: 51
Posts: 144
Blacksheep said:
"25 years eh? When I left the RAF in 1977 one of my job interviews was at Ferranti. In the reception area they had a model of a nice new concept - what was then called a "Through-deck Cruiser" called the Illustrious class."
How soon they forget. The Nameship of the class then as now is Invincible. In 1977 Invincible was launched, whereas Illustrious was still high and dry on the slips having only been laid down the previous year, and Ark Royal wouldn't be laid down for another year (december 1978).
"25 years eh? When I left the RAF in 1977 one of my job interviews was at Ferranti. In the reception area they had a model of a nice new concept - what was then called a "Through-deck Cruiser" called the Illustrious class."
How soon they forget. The Nameship of the class then as now is Invincible. In 1977 Invincible was launched, whereas Illustrious was still high and dry on the slips having only been laid down the previous year, and Ark Royal wouldn't be laid down for another year (december 1978).
