The new Royal Navy carriers, what's on the flight deck?

[kitnut617]

...like how this Gladiator is

That was pretty much how the Swordfish I saw looked like Scoot'

[Weaver]

...like how this Gladiator is

That was pretty much how the Swordfish I saw looked like Scoot'

Reminds me of the old comment about motorcycle frames. Release a sparrow in the middle of the frame: if it gets out, you need more cross-bracing.... 

[zenrat]

...like how this Gladiator is

That was pretty much how the Swordfish I saw looked like Scoot'

Reminds me of the old comment about motorcycle frames. Release a sparrow in the middle of the frame: if it gets out, you need more cross-bracing.... 

Where'd you read that H?  It's patently untrue in respect to a featherbed (the yardstick for a good handling frame back when it counted in the sixties).  You could release an albatross in the middle of one of them and it'd get out.

[NARSES2]

Deciding that landing was a good idea the pilot bought her in over the threshold and just stopped! A bunch of matelots drove out underneath 5A and stood waiting while he throttled back and the aircraft did a perfect vertical landing whereupon the matelots just grabbed it! 

Ah a modern version of the story my dad told many times about his service on an escort carrier and I've repeated many times  That and the being overtaken by a seagull  which the TAG swore was true

[PR19_Kit]

...like how this Gladiator is

That was pretty much how the Swordfish I saw looked like Scoot'

Reminds me of the old comment about motorcycle frames. Release a sparrow in the middle of the frame: if it gets out, you need more cross-bracing.... 

Where'd you read that H?  It's patently untrue in respect to a featherbed (the yardstick for a good handling frame back when it counted in the sixties).  You could release an albatross in the middle of one of them and it'd get out.

It's been said of some WWI biplanes and also of the 1960s Maserati Tipo 61 sportscars, which were called 'Birdcages' for obvious reasons.

[jcf]

Well, Swordfish are probably rather stealthy anyway. 

Unfortunately the spinning prop and the engine would make for rather a large target to modern radars even though the rest of the aircraft is mainly wood and fabric.

Gondor

Mmm, no, the airframe of the Swordfish is a fabric covered all-metal structure. The wings are
a combination of built-up steel-strip spars, steel drag-tubes and dural ribs, the fuselage is
steel tube. Very much a standard structure for the period, wood being superseded, for the most
part, in the 1920s.

Probably still less metal that most modern and/or stealthy airframes...like how this Gladiator is

That photo is misleading, the forward fuselage was covered with alloy panels, add in the fuel tanks,
ammunition tanks, etc., etc., and cover the whole thing with fabric coated with aluminum dope
and you've got a big radar target.

[zenrat]

What a great photo.  I've just made it my desktop pic.
Thanks Jon.

[Dizzyfugu]

VF-1 Valkyries.

1:100 Macross VF-1J "Valkyrie FRS.2" - Royal Navy paint scheme by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:100 Macross VF-1J "Valkyrie FRS.2" - Royal Navy paint scheme by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[Steel Penguin]

navalised Hotol,  and unobtainiam catchwires

[Captain Canada]

I'd like to see some Huey Cobras on there as well. You can fit alot of them skinny little guys on board !

[RLBH]

If I'm Chief of the Defence Staff? The air wing would be 12 Hornet FGR.1 (F-18F), 28 Fury FG.2 (F-35C, none of this silly 'Lighting' business), 9 Merlin HM.2 and 4 Hawkeye AEW.1, on all three carriers.

"But," I hear you cry, "what about the Royal Marines?" And well you might ask. The two Hermes class assault carriers (LHDs in American) will carry sixteen Merlins, four marinised Chinooks, four marinised Apaches, and four Wildcats for utility work.

A chap can dream, after all...

[Captain Canada]

Sounds good to me...but why Hornets and F-35s ?\

I'd also trade the Apache for the Cobra.

And we gotta have Osprey !

[McColm]

No ones mentioned the F-14 Tomcats or the Alize French equivalent to the Gannet. A Super Frelon or two.

[zenrat]

Maybe by the time she is actually in service manned aircraft will be a thing of the past and it'll be a launching pad for drones flown by computer?

[wuzak]

Can conventional carrier aircraft land on the new RN carriers? Does it have arrestor wires, etc?