Ark Royal IV deck detail

[zed]

Does anyone have any info or photos of the tie downs on HMS Ark Royal IV circa 1982?  I need to tie down my F-4 and can't find a good photo of what they look like.

 

TIA,

 

Graham

[bootneck]

HMS Ark Royal was decommissioned in 1979 Graham.  She was the only british carrier to operate F-4 Phantoms so could it be you mean 1972?

 

Tie down points on British aircraft carriers were very difficult to see as they weren't highlighted like US carriers.  The tie down point was a circular depression in the deck, with a holding bar running through it and flush with the deck.  Through the holding bar was fitted a ring-bolt which could be lifted to the vertical (similar action of a ring-pull on a can of fizzy pop ).   A length of chain would be passed through the ring bolt and lead back up to the tie-down point on the aircraft.  An adjustable clamp would be attached either between the top end of the chain and the aircraft point, or the bottom of the chain at the ring bolt.  The clamp would be then be tightened, thereby taking up any slack in the chain between the aircraft and the deck.

 

My description is a bit simplistic so I've done a quick sketch of how this would look from a plan and profile perspective.

 

 

 

Here is a view of a Gannet with the tie downs as described above.  As you can see, the actual deck fixture is difficult to see, even close up.

 

Mike

[zed]

That is exactly what I was looking for, thanks.  And, yes I did mean 1972. 

[Chewbacca]

This might show the ringbolt a bit better albeit it's a Frigate flight deck, 19 years later and nylon lashings rather than chain but the ringbolt hasn't changed:

 

 

This link will take you to the full size version hopefully:

Edited November 27, 2018 by Chewbacca