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RFA Argus - aircraft lift dimensions?


bootneck

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Anyone know anything about the troop/casualty ship RFA Argus?  I'm preparing a build which involves aircraft on her but I cannot find any plans of the flightdeck measurements; especially the dimensions for the aircraft lift.  I've found an overhead view of Argus on Google Earth but working out the dimensions from that are only estimates.  Googling brings up loads of side views and details but almost nothing on any top down plan dimensions.  Can anyone help me to identify the lengths and width of the flightdeck lift opening,  plus deck marking positions etc.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Mike

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  • 1 month later...

Yes, please.  848 was the first Naval Air Squadron I got a draft to, in the days when they had Wessex 5's.  I'll pm my details.

 

Thanks

 

Mike

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18 hours ago, junglierating said:

Hmm not many replys ....I have a nice picture of the Argus coming back from Gulf 1 with 848 Sea kings on the back its taken from above so it might help if you want.

Wouldn't mind seeing that one. I flew back with a load of others and medics from Dubai instead of the long way back. Sandy Woodward was there at Brize to meet and greet.

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Mike i have e mailed the phot to you...took a phot of a phot in my photo album.....if you want to upload it on to here be my guest.....then tell me how......anyone recommend flickr?

 

Give me your e mail and its yours...it is a nice phot

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On 30/05/2017 at 2:49 PM, bootneck said:

Anyone know anything about the troop/casualty ship RFA Argus?  I'm preparing a build which involves aircraft on her but I cannot find any plans of the flightdeck measurements; especially the dimensions for the aircraft lift.  I've found an overhead view of Argus on Google Earth but working out the dimensions from that are only estimates.  Googling brings up loads of side views and details but almost nothing on any top down plan dimensions.  Can anyone help me to identify the lengths and width of the flightdeck lift opening,  plus deck marking positions etc.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Mike

 

 

I have always assumed - and the photos seem to back this up - that the lifts are the same size as the lifts on a CVS (Invincible class); i.e. standard size to take a folded Sea King and/or Merlin.  A folded Sea King is 47' 3" long (14.4m), which is 9" longer than a Sea Harrier.  However, the lifts on the CVS were not changed when they were refitted for Merlin, and a Merlin folds down to 15.75m; so I'd say the lifts are probably, say, between 16 & 16.5m long.  You could work out width in proportion (though the SHAR had a 25' 3" / 7.6M wingspan, which might help.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Incidentally, though she has largely been used as a "troop/casualty ship", Argus was procured as an aviation support & training ship (replacing RFA Engadine); that's why she's named after a carrier.

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Thanks.  I've looked at the Illustrious kit (Airfix) and the lift dimensions work out at 56ft x 33ft (17m x 10m) and it is possible I could work to that; however, I also have the Jecobin plans for Invincible at 1:192 scale and the lift dimensions on that are 100mm x 63mm, which equates to 63ft x 40ft (19.2m x 12.2m).  It is variances like these which made me ask the wider audience if anyone knows the exact measurements, before I start cutting plastic.

If this was an aircraft model then the expectation would be to get the model's dimensions correct to within a few millimeters and I'd like to achieve the same with ship models.

 

Mike

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If it's a choice between Jecobin & Airfix, I'd believe Jecobin every time.

 

You might want to double check, though; I have just measured the lifts on my Jacobin Ark Royal and they work out at c. 16.7m x 10m - which is pretty close to Airfix numbers.

 

 

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I've checked the plans again and it does work out to 19.2m x 12.2m as you can see in the images below.  These measurements do appear to be too large and should be more in line with your Ark Royal plans.  Would it be possible for you to do a scan or close in photo, with a ruler, similar to mine?  That way I can confirm which to go for.

 

cheers

 

Mike

jecobin_front_sheet_title.jpg

 

Invincible_lift_1-192.jpg

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On ‎08‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 10:10 AM, bootneck said:

Herewith a copy of Junglierating's RFA Argus image from 1991.

 

Mike

 

RFA%20Argus%205%20in%201991.jpg

That brings back memories. I was on there 89-91.

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On 7/17/2017 at 4:52 PM, Darby said:

That brings back memories. I was on there 89-91.

So was I for the trip back....i was slummin it on 848 in da desert whilst 846 ....and therefore you ships company were running about chasing nurses.....whats all that about lol:frantic:

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Sprogs!  :bleh:

 

Mike

MAOT 848NAS 1970-73 - HMS Albion; Singapore, Philippines, Australia, Japan, Malta, Norway, Culdrose etc., etc. :pirate:

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On 7/17/2017 at 2:57 PM, bootneck said:

I've checked the plans again and it does work out to 19.2m x 12.2m as you can see in the images below.  These measurements do appear to be too large and should be more in line with your Ark Royal plans.  Would it be possible for you to do a scan or close in photo, with a ruler, similar to mine?  That way I can confirm which to go for.

 

cheers

 

Mike

jecobin_front_sheet_title.jpg

 

Invincible_lift_1-192.jpg

 

 

Sorry for delayed response, @bootneck Mike - I hadn't checked this thread for a while.

 

I haven't dug out my original Jacobin 1/192 Ark plans, which are safely filed away somewhere - but I do have the photocopies reduced to 1/350 which I have been using for my Ark Royal build.

35344858664_bbca2eab42_c.jpg

 

Here is the forward lift, complete with a steel ruler and also a spare Airfix lift part - you can see the Airfix lift is pretty much spot on.

35344859184_12da3eb136_c.jpg

 

Hope that helps you solve your problem!

 

Crisp

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