Photos Aircraft Carriers

santana said:

More thanks to @Conhoon


Carriers sail together as HMS Queen Elizabeth and Carrier Strike Group complete final exercise
Twenty warships, three submarines and 150 aircraft have taken part in a UK-led multinational military exercise to test the UK Carrier Strike Group’s response to a range of crisis and conflict situations.
Designed to push the Carrier Strike Group to the limits and ensure its readiness for any situation during this year’s seven-month global deployment, Exercise Strike Warrior 21 provided the largest and most demanding assessment it has so-far faced.
Following the exercise, the UK’s two aircraft carriers - HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales - were able to meet each other at sea for the very first time.

View attachment 308326
View attachment 308327
View attachment 308328
View attachment 308329
View attachment 308330
View attachment 308331
View attachment 308332
View attachment 308333

Click to expand...

In the hangar deck a VF[fighter] airplane had broken loose free its securing lines, and crashed into a plane on the port side, puncturing the gasoline tanks in both planes. The explosion and fire followed almost immediately. The planes had been degassed, but considerable residual gasoline remained in the after ends of all belly tanks, which cannot be evacuated by degassing suction. The fire spread rapidly throughout the hangar deck, but particularly through the central section, as loose planes crashed back end forth. The fire enveloped the conflagration station immediately, and an explosion blew open the trap door which permits, access to this station from the hangar, and the sprinkling system could not be immediately energized. Loose wreckage ruptured supply ventilation ducts on the port side of the hangar, and permitted smoke to fill all engineering spaces except the after engine room within a period of two minutes, and forced the temporary abandonment of these spaces until rescue breathing apparatus could be donned. From then on, during the period of the fire, skeleton engineering crew manned the forward engine room and both firerooms, using rescue breathing apparatus. The entire hangar deck sprinkling system was operated from controls in the machinery spaces, and operated most efficiently, but water free this source added further to difficulties, due to flooding of machinery spaces through the ruptured supply ventilation ducts. Sufficient steam pressure was at all times maintained to operate auxiliary machinery, but since power was being lost due to smoke and flooding, the commanding officer, at 0924, put the ship dead in the water in order to conserve steam and ensure ability to continue fighting the fire. At 0918, an explosion occurred on the port side of the ship in the vicinity of frame 75 on the second and third deck, and a fire resulted from this explosion in the laundry space on the third deck. This was caused by the fire being transmitted to spaces below through ruptured supply ventilation ducts. The heat in the hangar was intense, endangering ready-service magazines around both sides of the flight deck amidships. These had been manned, and sprinklers operated, except on the 40mm and 20mm sectors 1 and 2, where there was no water pressure. In these sectors, ready ammunition and ammunition in the ready service magazines was jettisoned by gun crews and air group pilots. At 0916, it us reported that the ship's gasoline system was secure, and that the gasoline pump rooms had been flooded properly with carbon dioxide. ...

Click to expand...

At 0924 it was necessary to secure fires in No. 2 fire room, due to flooding by scalding water from the hangar deck via ruptured ventilation systems. At 0935, the fire was pretty well isolated to the central section of the hangar deck. At this time, the ship was hove to on a heading of approximately 255 degrees (T), and riding easily with a maximum roll of 11 degrees. The wind was increasing in Intensity,and the seas becoming heavy. At 0942, Commander Task Group 38.1 directed the New Orleans (CA32), Twining (DD540), and McCord (DD 534) to stand by the Monterey. At 0950, the fire on the hangar deck was under control, with a total of ten hoses, all equipped with fog nozzles playing directly into the heart of the fire, and the entire sprinkling system rapidly cooling the hangar, permitting personnel to work more effectively. All fires were reported out at 1025. At this time, the wind had definitely commenced backing, and was from 330 degrees, force of 70 knots with gusts to 90 knots. The ship was riding easily on a southwesterly heading. At 1050 the ship was ready to go ahead on boilers No. 1 and 2, but due to the force of the storm, to hot wreckage throughout the hangar and the difficult task of safely securing this wreckage, it was considered best to remain dead in the water until the ship was in all respects considered safe. Possible shifting of wreckage in the hangar deck was a matter of grave concern to the commanding officer since it easily could have caused additional fires to break out. However, no additional damage resulted from the time the fires were out at 1025. All power and lighting on the hangar deck had been disconnected at the distribution boards...."

Click to expand...

Damage included the loss of seven aircraft from the flight deck, and 11 others on the hangar deck damaged beyond repair. Approximately two-thirds of the hangar was gutted, and considerable structural and electrical damage was suffered in the vicinity.

Click to expand...