Admiral Kuznetsov on fire
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Admiral Kuznetsov on fire
Plagued by bad luck. Maybe they should ask China to return the Liaoning?
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/...rn-port-a68579
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/...rn-port-a68579
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Plagued by bad luck
I'm sure those Russian naval aviators will be breathing a sigh of relief, not having to operate from that clapped out hulk ever again.
"Err Sergei, how deep is this semi-submersible dry dock supposed to sink?"
"A few metres, give or take. I'm sure it'll come back up any moment..."
"Err Sergei, how deep is this semi-submersible dry dock supposed to sink?"
"A few metres, give or take. I'm sure it'll come back up any moment..."
I think when people bang on about how the Russians are a threat they need to remember just how awful their support is...............
1986. An assembly defect in one of the main gearboxes ignited the oil mist therein causing "disassembly" of said gearbox. The ensuing fire took a while to put out. She was setting off on a round-the-world trip, Global 86. She eventually did the second half of the trip which, of course, simply had to be referred to as Global 43. There was only 1 casualty thank goodness but it needed more than a lick of paint to repair the damage. In all, very fortunate and a great credit to the crew for dealing with the major event + those getting her ready for the rest of that trip.
1986. An assembly defect in one of the main gearboxes ignited the oil mist therein causing "disassembly" of said gearbox. The ensuing fire took a while to put out. She was setting off on a round-the-world trip, Global 86. She eventually did the second half of the trip which, of course, simply had to be referred to as Global 43. There was only 1 casualty thank goodness but it needed more than a lick of paint to repair the damage. In all, very fortunate and a great credit to the crew for dealing with the major event + those getting her ready for the rest of that trip.
if you ever get the chance to get into the engine room in a naval vessel running at full chat, it’s well worth it; it’s an impressive experience seeing, hearing all that power being generated.
During my short time on the old (Old) Ark Royal I had many opportunities to visit Boiler Flats (8), Turbine Flats (4) gearbox rooms (4), and ancillary equipment areas. All brass piping polished to a mirror, Stokers and engineers in crisp white boiler suits, Very, very impressive and relatively quiet even when running at full chat. Another interesting, and occasionally dangerous place was the catapult equipment area. Huge pieces of metal and long lengths of cable under tension moving at high speed. My favourite "spotting" place was the Flag Deck to which I had almost direct access from my workspace. Oh the joys of youth, new ports and experiences..
IG
IG
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Before we get too cocky, wasn't Victorious so damaged by a dockyard fire that her refit was abandoned, and I seem to recall another of the Grey Funnel Line's carriers was similarly disabled (Centaur or Bulwark?) in almost identical circumstances. Happy to be corrected.
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Bulwark had one fire off Norway 79/80 IIRC, not long out of refit.
Just checked, another fire alongside in Philadelphia early ‘79 took a boiler out. Then the Norway incident.
Just checked, another fire alongside in Philadelphia early ‘79 took a boiler out. Then the Norway incident.
Before we get too cocky, wasn't Victorious so damaged by a dockyard fire that her refit was abandoned, and I seem to recall another of the Grey Funnel Line's carriers was similarly disabled (Centaur or Bulwark?) in almost identical circumstances. Happy to be corrected.
Jack
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........ things have clearly improved a lot/moved on, certainly in the RN .......................
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...s-return-port/
Hat, coat, liferaft anyone?
H 'n' H
The Kutznetsov will be nearly 40 by the time they get her out - if they ever do - you really have to think it#s a waste of money - they could make an offer for the PoW instead............ hat, coat, TAXI!
There is a degree of false equivalence here - while HM armed forces have certainly had their share of dockyard accidents and fires, the Russian safety record is of a different order of magnitude, especially their nuclear safety record for submarines when compared to that of the RN or USN.
Anyone remember the submarine reactor that was minutes away from a meltdown because the naval base hadn’t paid their electric bill and had the supply cut off disabling the reactor’s coolant system ? That was only resolved when the base commander sent an armed detachment of soldiers to politely ask if they would turn the power back on. Imagine that happening in Rosyth.
There still seems to be this mindset that the Russians are really “just like us” - when in fact they are nothing like us.
Anyone remember the submarine reactor that was minutes away from a meltdown because the naval base hadn’t paid their electric bill and had the supply cut off disabling the reactor’s coolant system ? That was only resolved when the base commander sent an armed detachment of soldiers to politely ask if they would turn the power back on. Imagine that happening in Rosyth.
There still seems to be this mindset that the Russians are really “just like us” - when in fact they are nothing like us.
As we have seen so clearly demonstrated in so many areas of the world which have rapidly changed/been changed, in very many cases the underlying ethoses are harder to shake off or reposition, the change being more of a rapidly applied veneer over a fundamental, deeply-rooted and slow-changing core. And sometimes the glue fixing the veneer in place is patchy at best. Well, that’s how I see it as a simple soul based on my take of the many changes I’ve seen in 6 decades.
I could also go on about the Origins of the Universe and other such topics but I suspect H 'n' H has bored you all enough...
Perhaps if Labor had won the election, they might have put in a bid....
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I.M.H.O.
David