Carrier Ops, HMS Illustrious (incl pics)
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Carrier Ops, HMS Illustrious (incl pics)
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Norway, 28 June
RN Lynx & Harriers from the Naval Strike Wing embarked in HMS Illustrious
Recovering to the ship
Sling-Load practice
Night flying - midnight in the North Sea
Pilots from IV Squadron RAF gaining Carrier Ops experience:
Off the ramp
Recovering
Hovering to the spot
Who needs a ramp?
All good things must eventually come to an end .....
Farewell Illustrious - Disembarking abeam Dundee, 2 July
(Some distortion - pic taken from Lynx)
Four days of total enjoyment combined with a fascinating and informative insight into the operation of an aircraft carrier - and its various roles in our maritime capability: Providing the Carrier Strike element with Joint Force Harriers in the ground attack role, helicopters in Anti-Submarine Warfare, Airborne Surveillance & Control roles, and as a Command & Control platform when operating with a task group.
The visit also provided an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the crucial role of the Royal Navy in being able to deliver air power wherever it is required - without the need for host nation support.
FL
..................................
Norway, 28 June
RN Lynx & Harriers from the Naval Strike Wing embarked in HMS Illustrious
Recovering to the ship
Sling-Load practice
Night flying - midnight in the North Sea
Pilots from IV Squadron RAF gaining Carrier Ops experience:
Off the ramp
Recovering
Hovering to the spot
Who needs a ramp?
All good things must eventually come to an end .....
Farewell Illustrious - Disembarking abeam Dundee, 2 July
(Some distortion - pic taken from Lynx)
Four days of total enjoyment combined with a fascinating and informative insight into the operation of an aircraft carrier - and its various roles in our maritime capability: Providing the Carrier Strike element with Joint Force Harriers in the ground attack role, helicopters in Anti-Submarine Warfare, Airborne Surveillance & Control roles, and as a Command & Control platform when operating with a task group.
The visit also provided an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the crucial role of the Royal Navy in being able to deliver air power wherever it is required - without the need for host nation support.
HMS Illustrious and 4 Squadron RAF are both Affiliated Units of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators
FL
Last edited by Flying Lawyer; 5th Jul 2009 at 20:37.
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High quality photographs.
The TV Doco series “Warship” is showing downunder at the moment starring the Illustrious.
Can someone clarify two small questions that I have regarding the photos?
The one titled Sling Load Practice: There is a second line running from the rear cabin to the hook. Is this a Quick Remote Hook release or??
Interesting to see the 1st Generation Trimble GPS, mounted on the Glare shield of the helicopter.. Surely the Senior Service doesn’t rely on this technology anymore?
The TV Doco series “Warship” is showing downunder at the moment starring the Illustrious.
Can someone clarify two small questions that I have regarding the photos?
The one titled Sling Load Practice: There is a second line running from the rear cabin to the hook. Is this a Quick Remote Hook release or??
Interesting to see the 1st Generation Trimble GPS, mounted on the Glare shield of the helicopter.. Surely the Senior Service doesn’t rely on this technology anymore?
Originally Posted by Red Wine
There is a second line running from the rear cabin to the hook. Is this a Quick Remote Hook release or??
Tudor, nice photos. Any more to share?
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Interesting to see the 1st Generation Trimble GPS, mounted on the Glare shield of the helicopter.. Surely the Senior Service doesn’t rely on this technology anymore?
Bear in mind that many of the world's airliners still don't have/use GPS.
Thank God the RN isn't wasting money on unnecessary kit.
Bell Flyer, because it isn't necessary or workable with catapult launches. If we had real Aircraft Carriers with conventional aircraft we wouldn't have ramps either.
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US carriers don't have ramps because they don't need them as they use steam or hydraulic catapults to launch aircraft. The ski jump is to assist the harriers which take off on engine power alone without the use of a catapult.
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Flying Lawyer: Great pics but the Harriers are from the Naval Strike Wing, not IV sqn. The Harriers have the 800NAS crest on the side of the air intakes as well as the '800 red nose' and the 801 NAS black and white checkers on the top of the tail. The story has been reported on the MOD/Navy site.
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Obi Wan Russell said
The red nose is a protective cover; see the last photo of ac recovering (cover absent). I don't dispute the 800 & 801 insignia but there is definitely an IV(AC) flash on the cold nozzle fairing as part of the all-up design.
In futurem videre - tomorrow we're going to the flicks
Yes, great pics.
....800NAS crest on the side of the air intakes as well as the '800 red nose'..
In futurem videre - tomorrow we're going to the flicks
Yes, great pics.
there is definitely an IV(AC) flash on the cold nozzle fairing as part of the all-up design.
which are the 800NAS crest flanked by two red chevrons, as worn on the tail of the 800NAS SHARs before they retired.
Fair one! It'd probably help if they painted Royal Navy on them!
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Great photos! And notice the Lynx pilot's watch, I am searching for one like that but I can't tell which one it is, does anyone know what wrist watch is that? 
Thanks and sorry for the funny question... or stupid at least.
Thanks and sorry for the funny question... or stupid at least.
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I have no doubt RAF pilots were present with the Naval Strike wing; there has always been a degree of cross pollenation amongst RAF and FAA sqns going back decades. As one of the primary aims of the excercise was carrier qualification I'm sure pilots from both IV(AC) sqn and 1(F) sqn would have taken the opportunity to Temporarily transfer to the NSW for this deployment. The majority were though according to the MOD FAA pilots of the NSW. The other two sqns will be rotated through the carriers in due course I'm sure. Makes a change from the 'Stan!
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Obi
The majority last week were, according to me, 4 Sqn pilots (including their Wg Cdr and a Sqn Ldr) together with a RN pilot (Royal Marines) and a USMC pilot on exchange.
Bear in mind that Illustrious has already been embarked for some weeks and doesn't return to Portsmouth until mid July. The pilots gaining/regaining deck currency rotate (excuse the pun) during the exercise. Those I met were embarked for two weeks.
Re "Temporarily transfer to the NSW for this deployment"
You may be correct but that's not my understanding.
FL
The majority were though according to the MOD FAA pilots of the NSW.
Bear in mind that Illustrious has already been embarked for some weeks and doesn't return to Portsmouth until mid July. The pilots gaining/regaining deck currency rotate (excuse the pun) during the exercise. Those I met were embarked for two weeks.
Re "Temporarily transfer to the NSW for this deployment"
You may be correct but that's not my understanding.
FL
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FL et Al,
4 Sqdn were on board as you say doing their Carrier Work Up. They were preceeded on board on this cruise by NSW. When NSW disembarked they left "their" jets behind for 4 Sqdn to play with.
4 Sqdn were on board as you say doing their Carrier Work Up. They were preceeded on board on this cruise by NSW. When NSW disembarked they left "their" jets behind for 4 Sqdn to play with.
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Focha, it's a standard Seiko aircrew watch. Last one I bought was in Faro, so you should be able to get one easily enough. Cost now must be c. 250Eu. They are very good.
Numbers on the back of mine are 7T27-7A20 - might be a model number.
Numbers on the back of mine are 7T27-7A20 - might be a model number.
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FL et Al,
4 Sqdn were on board as you say doing their Carrier Work Up. They were preceeded on board on this cruise by NSW. When NSW disembarked they left "their" jets behind for 4 Sqdn to play with.
4 Sqdn were on board as you say doing their Carrier Work Up. They were preceeded on board on this cruise by NSW. When NSW disembarked they left "their" jets behind for 4 Sqdn to play with.
