Carrier Air Wing 8, USS Gerald R Ford

[Latinbear]

Timeline Events organised a boat to go and see the USS Gerald R Ford last week while she weas moored in Stokes Bay off Portsmouth. Having never seen one of the US carriers up close this was a must do.

 

There are already images posted of the Ford in the Modern Maritime section so I thought I'd post instead a few of the aircraft that we could see from the boat. It was difficult to count all of them but I reckon there were around 30 Hornets on the flight deck. 

 

In addition, HMS Duncan was out in the Solent and entered Pompey Harbour shortly after we had docked.  I have posted a handful of images of the ship in the Modern Maritime section for anybody who is interested. 

 

1.

 

2.

 

3.

 

4.

 

5. I'm guessing the one of the left is used for deck handling training? 

 

6.

 

7.

 

8.

 

9.

 

10. The Timeline event was rather more pricey than Gosport Ferries trip but there were only 12 of us on our boat and we circled the carrier five times. 

 

11. Part of Fort Moncton. All very secret squirrel!   

 

 

That's it, thanks for looking. 

[Alpha Delta 210]

Thanks for sharing these, Latinbear. I have seen several of the super carriers in Norfolk, Virginia from a boat on the Elizabeth River, but without their air wings, so I am very envious!👍

[Latinbear]

Thanks AD.  I think it would be rather special to see several of the carriers moored up even without their air wings on board. This was a great morning out and very pleased I did it even if I did start to lose my sea legs half-way through the trip! Looking through my images and zooming in it is noticeable how many armed sailors there were on duty at various points around the ship. Similarly, and to me surprisingly, close examination of my Duncan shots reveals sailors in flak jackets and helmets manning guns on the Duncan as she enters Pompey harbour. I might expect that in certain overseas ports but seeing it as a ship enters her home port here is eye opening.  

[Andwil]

Picture 6, interesting place to store spare wheels.

 

AW

[colin]

Probably quick and easy to get to if they have a aircraft with a flat tyre on deck

[exdraken]

On 11/21/2022 at 12:30 PM, Latinbear said:

I'm guessing the one of the left is used for deck handling training? 

 

Is it missing something 😉?

The H queen

 

[Latinbear]

On 12/7/2022 at 6:03 AM, exdraken said:

Is it missing something 😉?

The H queen

 

 

It looks more than a hangar queen with the engines and wingtip mounted missile rails missing. I am sure a saw a picture on the interweb very recently of a blue topped F18 that was clearly empty of everything with the accompanying suggestion that it was a deck handling trainer. And then on the Smithsonian Channel a week or so ago (I've been away hence the late reply) there was a programme on the building of the Ford from day one through it entering operational service. The point of mentioning this was that the programme showed a blue topped F18 that was not in flying condition. Difficult to tell from the level I was at as to whether this was one and the same aircraft.