Northrop F-5B Royal Navy Fleet Arm, South Atlantic, 1982

[rickshaw]

The backstory:

Stop Press - Stop Press - Stop Press

19 February 1957

The aeronautical world reeled today with the announcement of the sudden death of Sir Sydney Camm.  Chief designer for the aviation firm Hawkers, Camm was well known as the designer of the famous Hurricane, Typhoon, Tempest and Hunter families of fighter aircraft.   Camm succumbed to a sudden heart attack today during luncheon.  "The aeronautical world has lost a giant," Remarked the Secretary of State for Air, Nigel Birch, MP.

14 February 1979

The Royal Navy today paid off its last operational fleet aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. Originally designated Irresistible, but was renamed Ark Royal prior to launch she was renamed Ark Royal to honour her immediate predecessor, another aircraft carrier which had been lost to an enemy torpedo off Gibralta during WWII.  Launched 3 May 1950, Ark Royal served all over the world.  Most notably, she is associated with the hit song "Sailing" sung by Rod Stewart used as the theme for a documentary TV series in 1976 which followed her on a Western Atlantic cruise to the Caribbean and the United States.

30 September 1980

On 23 March 1980 the MOD announced that HMS Ark Royal, the last remaining Royal Navy fleet carrier would be scrapped.  This has ended all plans to preserve her. Ark Royal left Devonport on 22 September 1980 under tow to be scrapped at Cairnryan near Stranraer in Scotland, arriving on the 28th. Breaking up is expected to take until 1983 to complete.

10 March 1981

Today the MOD announced that the Royal Navy would begin experiments in turning container ships into temporary aircraft carriers.  A container ship, the Cunard Ship, Atlantic Conveyer will be taken in hand and modified to utilise a temporary flight deck constructed from army bridging components and will be equipped to operate 20 light weight fighters as well as surface-to-air missiles for self-defence.

19 March 1982

Argentine scrap metal merchants today erected the Argentine flag over the British possession of South Georgia in the South Atlantic.  They were ordered by the Islands' Administrator to remove it and themselves forthwith.  They refused.

20 March 1982

The Cunard ship, Atlantic Conveyor began trials today, announced the Royal Navy.  After spending several months in dock being modified to carry the ARAPAHO system to allow her to be temporarily converted to an aircraft carrier, she left port to start her trials with the Navy.  With a modified superstructure and temporary flight deck it is expected that she will embark up to 20 light weight fighters of the Northrop F-5 type, modified for use onboard ship.   Carrying two crew they will be equipped with radar and be capable of carrying air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles.

2 April 1982

Today, Argentine forces invaded the Falkland Islands.   Resistance from the small force of Royal Marines was crushed quickly and the Argentinians moved to occupy the small group of islands in the South Atlantic.

5 April 1982

The British "war cabinet" today authorised the use of force to reclaim the Falkland Islands.  A task force will be organised and dispatched to the South Atlantic to accomplish this.  The task force will sail immediately.

5 April 1982

Rear-Admiral Sandy Woodward established his flag on the newly commissioned HMS Atlantic Conveyor and set sail for the South Atlantic.  Such was the haste that civilian contractors and crew were still aboard.   The air compliment of HMS Atlantic Conveyor was augmented by an addition five F-5 training aircraft and six Sea King helicopters.

The model:

RN F-5B, equipped with Blue Fox, lightweight fighter radar and two AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs and single 30mm cannon pod.  Operated by No.899 NAS, HMS ATLANTIC CONVEYOR, South Atlantic, 1982.











(Special thanks to Army of One for the SHAR nosecone)

Apologies for the poor quality photos.  I'll take some better ones this evening.

[NARSES2]

 

[rickshaw]

As promised, a few better quality photos:

[PR19_Kit]

At risk of sounding like a JMN (Perish the thought....) how did the F-5s operate from the Atlantic Conveyor, or is this a DIFFERENT Atlantic Conveyor?

[rickshaw]

At risk of sounding like a JMN (Perish the thought....) how did the F-5s operate from the Atlantic Conveyor, or is this a DIFFERENT Atlantic Conveyor?

This is an ATLANTIC CONVEYOR which has had a much more extensive refit, converting her to a "carrier-like" carrier.  Her superstructure has been cut down to a third in width, a flight deck has been added, with ramps down to a sheltered hangar deck.  All this has been done under the ARAPAHO concept, utilising shipping containers, Fairey Light Bridging components and decking for most of the main structure.   The only major modification has been to change the superstructure.  In the future, container ships will be constructed with long, thin superstructure down one side to facilitate this conversion.

Remember, this is a world where Sir Sydney Camm died before he could design the Harrier... 

[PR19_Kit]

OK, the crux phrase there being '....a third in width'.

The real AC has a MONSTER of a superstructure and no amount of cutting it down would place a deck in top of it, but to one side makes much more sense.

I hope it's fitted with something more lethal than the original's flare projectors for close in defence, a few Plalanx/Goalkeepers wouldn't come amiss to start with.

[rickshaw]

OK, the crux phrase there being '....a third in width'.

The real AC has a MONSTER of a superstructure and no amount of cutting it down would place a deck in top of it, but to one side makes much more sense.

I know.  Thats why I said she'd had a "modified superstructure" in the backstory.   

I hope it's fitted with something more lethal than the original's flare projectors for close in defence, a few Plalanx/Goalkeepers wouldn't come amiss to start with.

Mayhap, mayhap.  Reread the backstory, Kit.  You might find some surprises.