HMS Queen Elizabeth arrives in Portsmouth

[Rheged]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-40936071

HMS Queen Elizabeth arrives in Portsmouth......no commentary so the journalists can't get details wrnog  sorry, wrong.

[PR19_Kit]

I saw that on the Beeb News this morning, and the helicopter shots of her entering the harbour showed quite how MASSIVE a ship she is. 

Most impressive I thought, although the 'official speak' rendered by the Marine Colonel about the ship's aviation capability seemed to have come directly from some US PR office, most un-convincing. 

[Thorvic]

Had to go work before they could enter the harbour itself but saw the ship approaching and yes it was impressive.

Distinctly not impressed by the level of reporting and commentary, regurgitating half facts and false rumours to give a negative impression from researchers who know sweet fanny adam's about the programme apart from what they got off wiki 

[NARSES2]

Yup BBC's Breakfast coverage was truly appalling every time they opened their mouths to talk. Dan whatever his name is kept calling it a "boat" for heck's sake 

She did look impressive however. I'd never noticed how steep an angle the ski jump is. Any skate boarders amongst the crew could have fun for sure.

I assume she's got quite a large US Navy contingent on board going by the ratings in whites lining the ships side as she entered port ?

[PR19_Kit]

I assume she's got quite a large US Navy contingent on board going by the ratings in whites lining the ships side as she entered port ?

I only saw a small batch of matelots in whites standing on one of the lifts, and I think they were the cooks........... 

All the rest of them standing on the deck edges looked like normal RN sailors in blues.

[Thorvic]

They are probably contractors from ACA/BAE in white boilersuit's as the ship is still in the contractors hands and quite a number are onboard to monitor the sea trials, liaison and some may be snag fixing too.

QNLZ will continue her fitting out and snag fixes at Portsmouth for the next 7-8 weeks before the 2nd round of contractors sea trials late in the year, then after the next round of fixes she should be signed over to the Royal Navy for the first of class trials for a couple of years to work her up for operational duty in 2020.

[PR19_Kit]

This month's edition of the 'Navy News' paper has some wonderful stuff about her, including an overhead pic on the second page that just shouts 'Look how big I am!' 

Reminds me very much of how CVA01 was going to look, except for those crazy twin islands.

[Thorvic]

Yup BBC's Breakfast coverage was truly appalling every time they opened their mouths to talk. Dan whatever his name is kept calling it a "boat" for heck's sake 

She did look impressive however. I'd never noticed how steep an angle the ski jump is. Any skate boarders amongst the crew could have fun for sure.

I assume she's got quite a large US Navy contingent on board going by the ratings in whites lining the ships side as she entered port ?

Yeah I didn't bother with the tripe on the main news channels at tea time and opted for Forces TV news for a dedicated programme on the ship which was much nicer than the dumbed down lefty, liberal PC guff they try to pass off as news these days.

Yes those white boiler suits are the contractors as they had footage from dawn when they started to gather on the flight deck.

[NARSES2]

Yes those white boiler suits are the contractors as they had footage from dawn when they started to gather on the flight deck.

Cheers Geoff. I did wonder but then thought they wouldn't have been lining ship. My mind then wandered to a US contingent as she will obviously have some on board when she sails Stateside in the near future to begin trials over there with USN aircraft (or are they USMC ?)

I only saw a small batch of matelots in whites standing on one of the lifts, and I think they were the cooks........... 

Not enough of them mate. She'll need loads more to keep all them matelots and mateleses fed 

[Thorvic]

Cooks, Medics, flight deck crew and engineers, not on duty would all be in their dress uniforms to parade as the ship entered harbour. It's their home port and they are coming home for the first time so a special occasion to justify dress uniform. Did you notice the ships minister on the top of the ski-jump.

More news next month when HMS Prince of Wales is formally named and floated out the assembly dock at Rosyth a day or two later.

[andrewj]

Yup BBC's Breakfast coverage was truly appalling every time they opened their mouths to talk. Dan whatever his name is kept calling it a "boat" for heck's sake 

Worse than that , he was discussing how the ship had no " cats and traps " , so couldn't operate conventional aircraft like the Harriers used on previous RN carriers.  Well informed or what ?

[NARSES2]

Yup I picked that up as well and just thought