RN Aircraft Carriers: Queen Elizabeth Class

[Little h]

Harry hopefully this response from elsewhere will suffice? I asked he answered.

With reference to Q.E.'s recent problem. Some of us ancients who are used ladders and companionways are struggling with a stairwell(s) existing in the QEC - "A vertical shaft in which stairs are located" so could someone please explain?

QE Class is designed/constructed in such a way as the lower decks are structurally isolated both fore and aft and laterally. (Think 'Beer Crate") The only access to the lower spaces below the damage control deck is vertitically. There is no passage between sections below decks fore and aft, and limited access laterally. The reason is to provide damage control spaces that can be either controlled or isolated/closed off as the case may be. The ship is designed to operate when a significant number of 'sections' are damaged/ flooded up. The lateral distance between the inner and outer hull is such that stairwells (with W/T doors) can be fitted at each side in each longitudinal section, avoiding the use of ladders and companionways of old. Think big my friend..these are revolutionary vessels, a vital stage on as were Dreadnaughts/Angled Filght Decks/ twin Islands...etc.



Additionally: STATEMENT FROM RN;
Royal Navy Directorate of Defence Communications
"We don’t recognise figures bandied about, an investigation is underway and this will reveal the detail of the incident.
"Additionally, there were no casualties and we do not recognise anyone being in danger of drowning."

A big BZ fort that David .... many thanks .... and thanks to your source also.


I had read the RN statement earlier today.

[Little h]

Re. 'stairwells' on QEC Carriers & RFA's

These features 'appear' to be conspicuous by their absence in an attached schematic, posted by Brian just over a week ago .... or have I missed something .... since their inclusion might have given us a lead.
Post by Brian James » Wed Jul 03, 2019 6:06 am
HMS Queen Elizabeth schematic.

[Pelican]

Harry hopefully this response from elsewhere will suffice? I asked he answered.

With reference to Q.E.'s recent problem. Some of us ancients who are used ladders and companionways are struggling with a stairwell(s) existing in the QEC - "A vertical shaft in which stairs are located" so could someone please explain?

QE Class is designed/constructed in such a way as the lower decks are structurally isolated both fore and aft and laterally. (Think 'Beer Crate") The only access to the lower spaces below the damage control deck is vertitically. There is no passage between sections below decks fore and aft, and limited access laterally. The reason is to provide damage control spaces that can be either controlled or isolated/closed off as the case may be. The ship is designed to operate when a significant number of 'sections' are damaged/ flooded up. The lateral distance between the inner and outer hull is such that stairwells (with W/T doors) can be fitted at each side in each longitudinal section, avoiding the use of ladders and companionways of old. Think big my friend..these are revolutionary vessels, a vital stage on as were Dreadnaughts/Angled Filght Decks/ twin Islands...etc.



Additionally: STATEMENT FROM RN;
Royal Navy Directorate of Defence Communications
"We don’t recognise figures bandied about, an investigation is underway and this will reveal the detail of the incident.
"Additionally, there were no casualties and we do not recognise anyone being in danger of drowning."

A big BZ fort that David .... many thanks .... and thanks to your source also.


I had read the RN statement earlier today.

Harry, you and all members are always welcome to any information that I can find. I believe in sharing. Regret I cannot assist further as I'm always struggling to keep up as it is. Brian's schematic diagram is v.g. for an overall impression but because it covers so much it does not cover what we are presently interested in in detail. I guess we need the 'as built' plans but that won't happen for obvious reasons but we should get some clues from the results of the inquiry which no doubt will be rightly redacted. What caught my eye in the 'answer' is "the inner and outer hull" - not as I take it double skinned as in icebreakers etc. but more an outer lower ring of compartments and then an area of inner compartments. We do know that QEC does not have an amour plated belt due cost, weight etc., so presumably 'they' have tackled the defensive problem via different thinking? Just me thinking out aloud.
What is the 'damage control deck' one wonders?

[Little h]

Harry, you and all members are always welcome to any information that I can find. I believe in sharing. Regret I cannot assist further as I'm always struggling to keep up as it is. Brian's schematic diagram is v.g. for an overall impression but because it covers so much it does not cover what we are presently interested in in detail. I guess we need the 'as built' plans but that won't happen for obvious reasons but we should get some clues from the results of the inquiry which no doubt will be rightly redacted. What caught my eye in the 'answer' is "the inner and outer hull" - not as I take it double skinned as in icebreakers etc. but more an outer lower ring of compartments and then an area of inner compartments. We do know that QEC does not have an amour plated belt due cost, weight etc., so presumably 'they' have tackled the defensive problem via different thinking? Just me thinking out aloud.
What is the 'damage control deck' one wonders?

The following is from Save the Royal Navy in an article titled:-
August 11, 2018
HMS Queen Elizabeth – built to survive


Damage Control

More important than any armour protection is the overall resilience of the ship design. Despite pressure to cuts costs, we can be thankful that QEC was built to very high damage control standards. This kind of protection would be expensive or near impossible to retrofit at a later date. Further QinetiQ input into the Delta design informed measures to mitigate the effects of blast, fragmentation, shock, whipping, fire and flooding. It is the goal of all good warship design, to build a vessel that can survive some hits or near misses without catastrophic damage and is able to continue to float, move and fight.

HMS-Queen-Elizabeth-sections.jpg

Caption reads:-
Superblocks of HMS Prince of Wales are prepared to be joined by ‘skidding’ together in the confined space of the dry dock at Rosyth, October 2015. Note the subdivision of compartments and double-hull along the sides and bottom. (Photo: Aircraft Carrier Alliance)

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

Just got the matter of 'damage control deck' to track down now

[Brian James]

HMS Queen Elizabeth pictured from RFA Tideforce..2019.

[Pelican]

Stairs and ladders etc?
Harry reference your earlier "My recollection is of ladders are vertical or sloped, wood or metal, joining two deck levels; sometimes connecting compartments in other cases connecting flats and/or a flat and compartment." Etc.

Regarding wood:
I've now found out that wood was proscribed from R.N. ships from 1982 onwards and the QEC does not contain any wood apart from shorings, wedges etc. as wood is still the best material for D.C. purposes.

[Little h]

Stairs and ladders etc?
Harry reference your earlier "My recollection is of ladders are vertical or sloped, wood or metal, joining two deck levels; sometimes connecting compartments in other cases connecting flats and/or a flat and compartment." Etc.

Regarding wood:
I've now found out that wood was proscribed from R.N. ships from 1982 onwards and the QEC does not contain any wood apart from shorings, wedges etc. as wood is still the best material for D.C. purposes.

Thanks for that David.

An eminently sensible course of action.

[jbryce1437]

I wonder if that decision was taken in the light of the fire on HMS Glasgow at Swan Hunter shipyard on the Tyne. The ship was under construction and wooden ladders were in place for access to the various decks. In the course of the fire the ladders were destroyed, preventing a safe egress for the workmen. Newspaper article here

Jim

[Pelican]

From elsewhere

"It’s not all about jets and airframes! None of what you see, from the ship being able to turn its propellers, to personnel charging their phones, would happen without my section! it all starts here!!
The massive Wartsilla w38b, 1000hp per cylinder! And a massive generating capacity!
Currently doing crankshaft deflection checks to ensure the big girl runs correctly!"

[Pelican]

Q.E. - PTB

Straight 6 Cummins turbo charged engines spitting out 600 horsepower each and they have 2 per boat hence the speed.