Naval Vessels and Suez Canal
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Naval Vessels and Suez Canal
Read on another website that six of our finest Gray Funnel line are being sent east.
Do naval vessels transit the Suez Canal or head round the Cape?.
It strikes Draper being of a somewhat Macheavelian turn of mind that the Cana land vessels transiting same, would be a relativley easy target for those wishing us ill.
Charter a couple of old cargo hulls, send one ahead of the fleet into the canal, one astern ,tootle thru the canal for a few hours then open sea cocks, white duster effectivly stuck for the duration.
Send em round the Cape I say, let the lads get some sea time in.
Do naval vessels transit the Suez Canal or head round the Cape?.
It strikes Draper being of a somewhat Macheavelian turn of mind that the Cana land vessels transiting same, would be a relativley easy target for those wishing us ill.
Charter a couple of old cargo hulls, send one ahead of the fleet into the canal, one astern ,tootle thru the canal for a few hours then open sea cocks, white duster effectivly stuck for the duration.
Send em round the Cape I say, let the lads get some sea time in.
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Oh Drapes knows its possible, Drapes often encountered the Royal Navy in the Canal in his trips thru same in the sixties.
They tended to tie up and wait for a Red Duster to pass, hail same and ask directions.
One was questioning the wisdom of such a route at this time.
They tended to tie up and wait for a Red Duster to pass, hail same and ask directions.
One was questioning the wisdom of such a route at this time.
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As an aside
Can the Carriers (either US or British) launch aircraft whilst transitting the Canal. Or for that matter are they allowed to.
I know that there is the small matter of turning the carrier into the wind etc but all things being equal....
Oh and I havent forgotten the French carriers I just chose to ignore them.
Can the Carriers (either US or British) launch aircraft whilst transitting the Canal. Or for that matter are they allowed to.
I know that there is the small matter of turning the carrier into the wind etc but all things being equal....
Oh and I havent forgotten the French carriers I just chose to ignore them.
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no it couldnt happen. There is no way that it could be done due to the way that traffic passes through the Suez canal.
Furthermore as has been seen in photos in the open press, lots of extra guns get manned at the time of transit, so no fears about force protection.
Furthermore as has been seen in photos in the open press, lots of extra guns get manned at the time of transit, so no fears about force protection.
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It is also surrounded by many fine sand dunes as Drapes recals, just peachy for hiding behind with a few grenade launchers, especialy as the US navy seem to be fond of leaving those fast pointy things lining the deck to impress the natives.
Last edited by tony draper; 20th Dec 2002 at 22:46.
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It is indeed technically feasible for the CVS to launch all her embarked types whilst in the canal-the ship needs to be neither steaming nor facing into wind. However, it is not done in peacetime due to political sensitivities. There are, of course, significant limitations. The wind needs to be within deck operating limits (tailwind, pure crosswind and crosswind causing turbulence off the superstructure). Fixed wing launch payload decreases as the wind-over-the-deck reduces.
Both fixed and rotary wing crews regularly practice landings facing any-which-way with the ship either stationary or steaming out of wind.
Both fixed and rotary wing crews regularly practice landings facing any-which-way with the ship either stationary or steaming out of wind.
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Due to the interference of our cousins across the pond,Mr Rivit, the canal now belongs to Egypt.
The French built it, we fiddled them out of it fair and square, then that scoundrel Nasser nationalised it.
The French built it, we fiddled them out of it fair and square, then that scoundrel Nasser nationalised it.
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Tony - If we are going back to '56, and yes I suffered from Nasser - having to stand on the Tarmac for the odd hour or two whilst he decided if we could reboard our BOAC DC4M Argonaut back to Keenya (sic), then our American cousins - Eisenhour & John Foster Dulles have a lot to answer for - if they had had Kennedy's balls then the 'Cold War' & the 'Winds of Change' could well have been different!!!!
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So all Saddam has to do is get Egypt on his side and have Chief Keeper of the Locks say "sorry, not today thank you" when the US Navy arrive at entrance A and expect to leave out of exit B?
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Wasn't just thinking of Saddam,almost everybody with a beard out there don't like us.
Now Drapes knows the canal has been widened a tad since young Drapes sailed up and down it, but one could probably still stand on the bank and hit you in the head with a thrown rock.
One other piece of advice, under no circumstances buy a watch in Port Said.
Now Drapes knows the canal has been widened a tad since young Drapes sailed up and down it, but one could probably still stand on the bank and hit you in the head with a thrown rock.
One other piece of advice, under no circumstances buy a watch in Port Said.
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Ah Drapes, but wouldnt said thrown rock be a bloody good excuse to go and have another go at taking the canal back. You never know, perhaps the US would back us this time in exchange for us backing their latest empire building excursion.
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Why, the "Rolex" watches I bought in Port Said from 'Jock McGregor of Aberdeen - the only Scottish Fez wearing Arab I have ever seen are still keeping good time all those years later......!!
Cant comment on rock throwing though...!
Cant comment on rock throwing though...!
Possibly this is why - according to a pal who was there not long ago - the canal roads are constantly full of Hosni Mubarak's vicious-bastard (they have a reputation for putting electrodes on people they suspect of Islamist sympathising) State Security Police, looking for subversive characters among the dunes..
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Naval Vessels and Suez Canal
Tony D raises an important issue. With sabre rattling in North Korea and the inevitable and imminent hostility in/around Iraq, it would be unwise to believe that the next conflict will be conducted under Marquis of Queensbury Rules. Is the canal of great stratagic importance? Of course! Could it be annexed without too much bloodshed or public outcry? Quite possibly. Would the good guys happily take the scenic route indefinitely? I don't think so!! God Bless you all!