Queensferry Crossing, HMS Queen Elizabeth and all things Royal Navy

[Dartman]

But in the time of war anything goes, shell cases might be collected and stored after action but no one counts

 

[FB]

HMS Dauntless leaving Portsmouth today. An air defence Destroyer according to Mr Google. Imagine, if pictures like this were posted of a Russian boat leaving harbour the photographer would suddenly find his testicles attached to electrodes.

 

[FB]

HMS Ark Royal on the left, USS Nimitz on the right

 

[cider_and_toast]

"God is not on the side of the big battalions, but on the side of those who shoot best."

Voltaire - 1778.

 

[Dartman]

When was that taken, must have been around the middle 70's, wasn't the old Ark about 50 odd thousand tons and armour plated so would be fairly small to the Nimitz which is pushing 100k tons if not a bit more. (Note. I couldn't be bothered to look it up so mostly memory)

 

[cider_and_toast]

I think the best description of Yank aircraft carriers would be fucking massive.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

I watched this the other day (not sure which carrier it is) but it made me realise they don't seem quite so big when you're landing on a plane on them!

 

[The Pits]

Reminds me of this classic

 

[Dartman]

It's even smaller when the stern of the carrier is rising up and down 20 feet in either a heavy long ocean swell or storm, did a stint on DLPS maintenance as an Tiff3 and sitting besides the sights the aircraft could dip below the roundown.

 

[FB]

The oldest working paddle steamer in the world passed behind a slightly broken aircraft carrier in the Solent

 

[FB]

The Princess Royal visited Portsmouth to thank the ratings who pulled the gun carriage carrying the Queen. Quite an ask of some very young men.

 

[Andyoak]

Be even more of an ask for some very old men

 

[Dartman]

There were indications in RN forums that they weren't all "sailors" some apparently changed rig and there were some without branch badges which would indicate that maybe they never wore square rig, so possibly senior rates (petty officers and above) and the technicians who also would be senior rates.

 

[cider_and_toast]

My old boss was one of the officers involved in escorting the gun carriage.

They did a fantastic job. It was one of the rare occasions when I wished I was back in the mob.

 

[cider_and_toast]

There were indications in RN forums that they weren't all "sailors"

Must be true then.

I heard a buzz from an oppo in the NAAFI queue........

 

[Dartman]

Are there still NAAFI's left?
I did notice that the three RN officers marching alongside the gun carriage, Commander , Captain and Vice Admiral were all medics

 

[cider_and_toast]

Are there still NAAFI's left?

Not shore side but the SPAR are still having trouble getting Mrs Potter out from behind her Newsagents counter in Birmingham and off to sea for 3 years so the NAAFI still get to look after that bit.

 

[FB]

This, apparently, is the USS Gerald Ford parked in the Solent. Some locals thought the Isle of Wight can grown a twin.

 

[cider_and_toast]

If the US can name one of their ships after a great president and intellectual giant, Gerald Ford, we should surely have HMS Lizz Truss as the pride of our Navy.?

 

[FB]