QEC Carriers

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ivorthediver
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Location: Cambridge Shore Battery

Re: QEC Carriers

Unread post by ivorthediver »

Shame the colours of the Forum have all been thrown into disarray :(
"What Ever Floats your Boat"
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Pelican
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Re: QEC Carriers

Unread post by Pelican »

Pretty lights, pretty colours, pretty picture and no rust in sight.
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HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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ivorthediver
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Re: QEC Carriers

Unread post by ivorthediver »

Alright , alright , so I had them working all night :roll:

Nice shot though , thanks for posting .....
"What Ever Floats your Boat"
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Pelican
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Re: QEC Carriers

Unread post by Pelican »

QEC FLIGHT DECK LIGHTING FOR NIGHT LANDINGS

Of course things have moved on a bit but the following and attached give an insight to those of us who were only 'on deck or below' regarding those above.
Kindly sent over by Mike the Gannet Driver - I have substituted the video he attached as no way of uploading [?] for this link which is longer and does have sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvncJwCxxV0

For a night landing, the approach is usually under radar control to the 1 mile/400ft point, where the pilot acknowledges he has the sight visual and has 4 greens and takes over visually. Obviously there will be exceptions but this was the norm back in the 60s.

Until the mid-60's, deck lighting was minimal (and would be so again if the ship was in action). So you had a centre-line, a "donkey's tail" down the stern and a line across each end of the actual landing area. The video shows something more modern from the USN, the RN introduced low-intensity floods that shone across the deck in the mid-60s. They gave a real sense of a solid deck in the last seconds - a huge psychological step forward for the pilot. Before that, you had to convince yourself there WAS a ship there and not just a line of lights floating on the water.

The video isn't long, be prepared to see very little of anything for the first few seconds. The Sight shows up well but, for some reason, there's no audio of exchanges between pilot and ship.

I have also attached "Bounced", an account of what can happen when it doesn't go quite according to plan - this genuinely happened to me.

Finally, an Observer friend from back then sent me this account of what it was like in the back. I have to admire those guys, their lives were - quite literally - in the hands of the pilot.

"Sitting in the back of a Fairey Gannet AEW3 in the dark. No forward vision, a tiny window sideways with nothing to see ....except red instrument lights inside. Smell of fuel. Listening to the engines' clattering note, audio speed indicator, radio from the carrier, and sometimes pilot's heavy breathing. Immersion suit on, strapped in hard, sitting on dinghy and parachute, 100% oxygen with mask extra-tightly locked on face (there was normal and extra tight position). The occasional buffeting. Sphincter tight. Heart rate up. Thinking sometimes about the carrier's fearsome progress if you were to end up in the water ahead of her....except she does have an angled flight deck doesn't she, so that couldn't possibly happen...

Suddenly. Lights to each side. A sudden bump as you hit the deck. Then.

Either: Caught a wire, sharp deceleration accompanied by release of breath and slow relaxation of muscle tension. We're down!

Or:....'Bolter! Bolter!' over the radio.....but you already know you've missed all four wires. Involuntary intake of breath. Interminable pause ....waiting for the engines' note to rise again (there is a definite lag, and you learn what it means : 'My heart stood still.') The feeling of acceleration, then the bite of lift on the wings as you pull up and away. Gentle turn to port and back into the circuit. Keep trying till you get it right....or divert ashore if possible, or whatever.

Thank you Mike and all the other pilots with whom I flew!"

Don't recall any F35B night landings on QEC whilst over carring out Westlant19 or was there?
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HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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Little h
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Re: QEC Carriers

Unread post by Little h »

Little h wrote: Sat Dec 07, 2019 12:32 am Further to the series of posts on the previous page (starting midway down) with the following post - this is the first image I have observed these titlting antenna in the raised position.

Little h wrote: Sat Sep 07, 2019 11:42 pm Anyone noticed any mention of, or an image relating to, the two 'folding whip antenna'(?) having been raised from the lowered position during any of the QE R08 trials?


,,ACA 35420485912_fcfbf88cea_o (3).jpg

,, DDQXhpzW0AAiXee twitter baesystemsplc (4).jpg

DENj7P4W0AAKMpH at invergordon twitter @HMSQnlz.jpg

Each 'antenna'(?) raised/lowered by Heavy Duty Shipboard Tilt Units (single); similar to/if not exactly the same as this:-

OA-9243A-side.jpg

Source; ANTENNA PRODUCTS - Shipboard Antennas/Tilt Units


___________________________________________________________________________________________________

HMS Queen Elizabeth
‏Verified account @HMSQNLZ

We are currently off beautiful Weymouth Bay, onloading family under the PACAS scheme - Parents & Children at Sea. This gives our loved ones the unique chance to sail into port with us tomorrow #WESTLANT19 #itsafamilyaffair

EK3ThNFWkAAcxyz.jpg


The tilting antenna are not too evident in this image so a screenshot was needed, see below:-


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


VOILÀ!!! - Yay!!! .... at long last ;) :)

A simple case of the biblical "seek and ye shall find" (Mathew 7:7-8 & 12 also Luke 11:9) perhaps;
or maybe a case of:-
ye olde maxim- "patience and perseverance overcometh all understanding" (and variations thereof)
Screenshot (6365).png



Further to several posts in the previous page of this thread ......

Two views showing QNLZ R08 departing Portsmouth with both Motorised Folding Whip Antenna raised:-


NavyLookout
@NavyLookout


.@HMSQNLZ sailed from Portsmouth this afternoon for Carrier Strike Group exercise in UK waters and Eastern Atlantic.

Next stop North Sea to collect some jets.

Testing, isolation and hygiene measures have prevented the #COVID19 problems many predicted.

Photo: @ShaunRoster
EZ6sKihXkAQe71z.jpg

NavyLookout
@NavyLookout

The view form Gosport @HMSQNLZ

Photo: j1imagery
EZ7r4LYXQAI3uZC view from gosport Photo j1imagery.jpg
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Little h
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