QE to Portsmouth

[tankbuster]

Portsmouth News is reporting the Queen Elizabeth will enter harbour between 17-22 August but they can't be exact because it is weather dependent. I assume that means that even with all the dredging it will be too dangerous for it to go to war unless the weather is nice. I don't know whether F35s can fly when the weather is a bit iffy but we know F22s struggle. Given the weather all over the world it's surprising it is ever fine enough for wars.

[ericbee123]

Yeah. Cause that's what we do. We take a brand new, first of class ship, that's also the biggest ship that the RN has ever had, then we wait for a nice storm, thunder, lightning, waterspouts and try to squeeze her into a brand new berth we have had to dredge out to accommodate her. We like a challenge. Come on. Can't the first time the biggest vessel the RN has ever had, have almost perfect conditions to try to get her into her newly prepared berth and newly dredged channel. Give the RN a break. Leave dramas until the second or third time.

[boff180]

Portsmouth has never accommodated a warship this size or even approaching it.

The new births are custom made and the area dredged is finite, they have very little room for error, including a finite turning area.

Do you really want on its first visit a strong cross wind to blow it aground? That would be a national embarrassment and cost millions to fix.

The new flagships first arrival in its home port deserves pomp and ceremony, that means things - if possible - should be as near to perfect as they can be.

Andy

[starbuck]

Portsmouth has never accommodated a warship this size or even approaching it.

The new births are custom made and the area dredged is finite, they have very little room for error, including a finite turning area.


Andy

Are they actually going to be able to turn around in there? Especially if there's one already tied up alongside.

Regardless, ships not being able to get into a harbour because of bad weather is nothing new or exclusive to the QE's or Portsmouth is it?

Nor is aircraft not being able to operate off of aircraft carriers either.

Where there is an arguement to be had is the degree of tolerance for the QE's to use Portsmouth as their home base.

Unfortunately even though we are an island nation we are not blessed with particularly deep or wide natural harbours, so once the decision was taken that we needed ships, of this size and we were not going to relocate one of our existing dockyards to a brand new man made harbour then it had to be Portsmouth. I'd be interested to know if faslane was ever considered.

[Stagger2]

Quote... "I'd be interested to know if faslane was ever considered."
Not even remotely considered, as their was no way the Royal Navy were going to rename their Flagship "HMS Queen Nicola S "?

[tankbuster]

latest reports say Friday 18th AM weather permitting

[john001]

Unfortunately even though we are an island nation we are not blessed with particularly deep or wide natural harbours, so once the decision was taken that we needed ships, of this size and we were not going to relocate one of our existing dockyards to a brand new man made harbour then it had to be Portsmouth. I'd be interested to know if faslane was ever considered.

Obviously these days Portsmouth is about the only option for the RN but surely Falmouth is one of the deepest anywhere and Poole and Milford Haven are quite large not that I am saying they are suitable just I don't go with your statement on deep or wide natural harbours.

[Brevet Cable]

Our newest LPH ( ) is currently up Jockland way playing with a proper CVN.

[RRconway]

Presumably it will be in on the high tide between 0830 and 1000 but does anyone know how long it's staying and when it's departing?

Cheers,
Jeff.

[tankbuster]

Presumably it will be in on the high tide between 0830 and 1000 but does anyone know how long it's staying and when it's departing?

Cheers,
Jeff.

0940 is current predicted time but lots of caveats to say this is best guess.

[Talldan76]

You can go on a boat trip with Timeline Events to catch it coming in if you fancy it... only £95(!!!!!) to your good selves...

Obviously comes with the rather large caveat that it may / may not happen on the day.

[RichCliff]

It's making the journey down and is currently between Belfast and Stranraer heading towards the west side of the Isle of Man

[Brevet Cable]

Showing on ShipAIS ( http://www.shipais.com/showship.php?mmsi=235107775 ) and Marinetraffic ( http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:4585861/mmsi:235107775/vessel:235107775 ) , if anyone's interested.

Less than 2Kts....obviously the hamsters need feeding

[ericbee123]

Need her to slow down even more or do circuits for a day where she is, so I can pass her on the Irish ferry to Dublin on Wednesday morning

[davidjones533]

.

[tankbuster]

Wednesday at 0710

[RichCliff]

Steady 25kts, now near the Pembrokeshire coast.

[tankbuster]

some info


http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/defenc ... -1-8103489

[austinp]

South of the Isle of Wight now

Looking forward to some pics when she comes in.

[tankbuster]

more info


Weather permitting, there will be a flypast of aircraft to welcome HMS Queen Elizabeth into Portsmouth tomorrow as she passes the Round Tower at 0710. These will include Wildcat and Merlin helicopters plus a Hawk jet.

[st24]

more info


Weather permitting, there will be a flypast of aircraft to welcome HMS Queen Elizabeth into Portsmouth tomorrow as she passes the Round Tower at 0710. These will include Wildcat and Merlin helicopters plus a Hawk jet.

Aah the noble Hawk T1, nothing underlines British carrier airpower more...

[Brevet Cable]

BBC & ITV showing snippets of coverage of our newest LPH entering Portsmouth Harbour.

Edited to add....
And having seen the footage, the 'flypast' would be better described as a loose gaggle of airframes heading in the same general direction.

[Steve p]

more info


Weather permitting, there will be a flypast of aircraft to welcome HMS Queen Elizabeth into Portsmouth tomorrow as she passes the Round Tower at 0710. These will include Wildcat and Merlin helicopters plus a Hawk jet.

Aah the noble Hawk T1, nothing underlines British carrier airpower more...

Worry ye not, i am certain a stringbag can operate from the deck without catapult/arrestor wires. Paint them a boring grey and happy days

[starbuck]

Do weather balloons count as VTOL?