Big Lizzie Is Coming...

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QEC HMS Queen Elizabeth is due in to her home port of Portsmouth for the first time tomorrow at 0710. Should be quite a sight.
 
That accounts for these on the Hamble and Cowes today:-

Police Rib
Police patrol boat (big one)
Green Rib of the type used in 2012 Olympics by commandos
Green multi purpose boat with rather handy looking chaps with bulging biceps
Orange rib with another 4 "handy" chaps on board.....
 
All those rules to look after her. I thought a warship of that size should be able to look after herself :)
 
I watched her dock earlier this morning from Royal Clarence Marina very impressive, and then more excitingly spotted my old Gobbi 425sc go past, with i imagine Simond S at the helm.
 
Some photos from this morning.

An early start: is that what a Sunrise looks like?

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There weren't many "escort" boats at first, but things picked up rapidly.

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At least four chunky tugs kept things moving in the right direction.
Minimal wind probably helped.

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There were plenty of Police boats, a Navy Patrol boat, and some chaps in an unmarked RIB wearing dark clothes.

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We'll ignore the breach of flag etiquette this time - it's the thought that counts.

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Yes, that is an Aircraft Carrier, and no, you cannot paddle in front of it and expect it to stop.

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Its pretty big isnt it?

I saw the american carrier the dwight eisenhower in palma a few years ago, that thing was enormous.
 
That accounts for these on the Hamble and Cowes today:-

Police Rib
Police patrol boat (big one)
Green Rib of the type used in 2012 Olympics by commandos
Green multi purpose boat with rather handy looking chaps with bulging biceps
Orange rib with another 4 "handy" chaps on board.....

Is there not an irony that the armed forces require a police escort !
 
I like the last picture more only because you have my merry fisher 805 with the green canopy in it. It was great to be there.

I got four hours sleep last night ...
... woke up dreaming about being in the Navy (never have).

We are a bit tired now, but it was worth it - it was an experience I won't forget.
 
Having read about the arrival on here Tuesday late afternoon we cut short a planned overnight on the Hamble and headed back home to Haslar. We are rather fortunate in having a grandstand view of such events from the sitting room & balcony of our flat. So we were able to see everything whilst enjoying weetabix, coffee and a slice of toast.

Well prepared listening to QHM on CH11, telescope & stabilised binoculars I wasn't so fortunate in terms of camera equipment. The video camera all but died a battery death whilst filming on the Beaulieu river. So unfortunately I had to make do with the wide angle of my iPhone.

It isn't very exciting footage and was thrown together very quickly to stock YouTube music so as not to fall foul of restrictions in different countries.




In the flesh it was great to see. A couple of flypasts, crew were spotlessly turned out and all dismissed in unison. Weird watching the various interviews on TV whilst seeing them in the flesh as well !

QHM deserve a medal in the way they kept calm and carried on. The whole thing ran like clockwork.

Henry :)
 
I think the idea is to let the Americans play with their F35-B's in 2018 so that they can practice landings and takeoffs, and we can practice running the flight deck.
Then in 2019 our Naval Air Squadron will get their own F35's to play with.

Until then, it's chop-chop-chop-chop.
 
I think the idea is to let the Americans play with their F35-B's in 2018 so that they can practice landings and takeoffs, and we can practice running the flight deck.
Then in 2019 our Naval Air Squadron will get their own F35's to play with.

Until then, it's chop-chop-chop-chop.

We had some nice harriers but someone decided we didn't need those any more. Old but very good
 
We had some nice harriers but someone decided we didn't need those any more. Old but very good

No they were old and had been good in their day, ie up to about the mid '80s. By the '90s this was the sort of thing that happened against anyone with AD capacity: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/s...sh-jet-as-all-out-conflict-looms-1370717.html

Anyone know if we own any planes to go on her or is there just Helis

Try reading this https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/yes-hms-queen-elizabeth-aircraft/ , it's a reasonable summary, it's a pity that the BBC breakfast (amongst others) sofa based commentators hadn't done even some basic research.

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