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820 NAS announced as first to deploy on QE


Meatbox8

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According to UK Defence Journal 820 NAS with their Merlin 2s will be the first air component to operate from HMS Queen Elisabeth when she leaves Rosyth next year.   A major milestone although no doubt the press will have a field day moaning about her being a ship with no aeroplanes.  Personally I'm looking forward to seeing the ship at sea and operating aircraft.  In fact I think I'll try and get to Pompey to see her arrive in her home port for the first time. 

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On ‎18‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 5:25 PM, Meatbox8 said:

 In fact I think I'll try and get to Pompey to see her arrive in her home port for the first time. 

 

Me too

Latest I've heard is that she will be down there in December, they are busy dredging the channel & quayside for her.

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Idle thought: it took a complement of 885 each to put 4 Sea Kings to sea in Tiger and Blake.  By historical comparison, what will the complement of QE be when she embarks 820 Sq?

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On 18/10/2016 at 5:25 PM, Meatbox8 said:

................ A major milestone although no doubt the press will have a field day moaning about her being a ship with no aeroplanes.

IIRC HMS Invincible deployed on her first commission in 1980 with only a squadron of Sea Kings onboard.  My unit embarked a little while later and underwent troop lift and load carrying exercises with them; so, nothing really new there.

 

Mike

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16 hours ago, sinnerboy said:

 

Me too

Latest I've heard is that she will be down there in December, they are busy dredging the channel & quayside for her.

 

 

Great.  I shall look out for updates.

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Hmm not many aircraft on 820...still it's a start. 

Reminds me of their motto....unofficial..you ball with us and we will shove the bat up your.........

As for Blake and tiger fairly man-drulic ships two gun turrets and very old steam turbines.....as a comparison fearless and insepid were similar large complements.

 

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Seem to remember 820 had 8 Sea King MkV's on the Invincible 84/85.

 

Operated those, 3 Mk2 Sea Kings and 5 FRs1's. Should be lost on the QE2 deck.

 

MOD has no plans to expand the 101's on the squadron's.

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2 hours ago, Seahawk said:

Are you saying 820's current complement is 8 Merlin HMA.2s?  Couldn't find an answer on MoD websites.

It varies but if I say that there are 4 pinger squadrons and there are 30 mk2 then minus aircraft in depth ....that'll give you an idea which is in the public domain

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On 19/10/2016 at 9:20 PM, vtecjack said:

Given the size of the new carriers ,I wonder if you could land a Swordfish on there ? 

 

When I was a boy we had a vicar who lived down the road who had been in the FAA during the War.  He told me that when landing a Stringbag on a carrier in a strong headwind you could literally step off it on to the deck before the aircraft had actually caught a wire and landed, it was moving so slow in relation to the deck!  It must be true as he was a man of the cloth.  

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