Ambivalent
Junior Member
Put it in Fall River next to the USS Joseph Kennedy and the battleship Massachusettes.
Aircraft Carriers II (Closed to posting)
- Thread starter Jeff Head
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Put it in Fall River next to the USS Joseph Kennedy and the battleship Massachusettes.
Pointblank
Senior Member
The Spanish carrier Dédalo had a wooden flight deck when she operated the Harrier... mind you, she was a ex-USN Independence-class light aircraft carrier of World War II vintage.
Quite happy to tell you which WW2 wooden flight deck operated Harriers. Someone beat to it though! The SNS Dedalo R01 (ex USS Cabot CVL 28), commissioned into the USN in 1943, transferred to Spain as an ASW helicopter carrier in 1967, bought outright in 1972 and embarked AV-8A (known locally as AV-8S) from 1976 0nwards. She was relaced in service in 1988 by the Spanish built Principe de Asturias R11, and her AV-8As transferred to the new ship supplementing the newly delivered EAV-8Bs (E for Espana', not Electronic Warfare). In Spain, the Harrier is known as the Matador. The AV-8S were sold to Thailand in the mid 90s for their new carrier Chakri Narubet.
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Wait a minute...
The SNS Dedalo R01 had a wooden flight deck. Correct..however when I served on the USS Hancock in '74 & '75 she also had a wooden flight deck.
However >> The area under the arresting wires was covered with very thick steel plates. And our wooden flight deck was covered with a special epoxy non-skid that was at least 1 to 2 inches thick. This epoxy type non-skid is no longer in use.
Interesting enough there was no epoxy along the runners of the catapults. Just bare teak wood. When F-8 Crusaders were launched they sometimes threw up splinters.
ps..runners..The small portion of the deck that runs parallel to the catapults.
The SNS Dedalo R01 had a wooden flight deck. Correct..however when I served on the USS Hancock in '74 & '75 she also had a wooden flight deck.
However >> The area under the arresting wires was covered with very thick steel plates. And our wooden flight deck was covered with a special epoxy non-skid that was at least 1 to 2 inches thick. This epoxy type non-skid is no longer in use.
Interesting enough there was no epoxy along the runners of the catapults. Just bare teak wood. When F-8 Crusaders were launched they sometimes threw up splinters.
ps..runners..The small portion of the deck that runs parallel to the catapults.
Had a check of some of my reference books, and unfortunately it doesn't appear that any of the Essex class ever hosted a Harrier even for trials or cross decking. Which is a pity, as so many different types of ship trialled members of the Harrier family in the 60s and 70s. Several US Carriers and Amphibs carried out trials as well as other nations Navies, here is a list. Please feel free to update:
Ship Tonnage Date of trial Aircraft
HMS Ark Royal R09 50,800 feb 1963 P1127
USS Independence CVA 62 78,000 may 1966 XV-6A Kestrel
USS Raleigh LPD 1 13,900 may 1966 XV-6A Kestrel
HMS Bulwark R08 27,300 june 1966 XV-6A Kestrel
USS La Salle LPD 3 (AGF3) 13,900 may 1969 XV-6A Kestrel
HMS Blake C99 12,100 aug 1969 Harrier GR1
ARA 25de Mayo V2 19,900 sep 1969 Harrier GR1
ITS Andrea Doria C 553 6,500 oct 1969 Harrier GR1
HMS Eagle R05 50,800 mar 1970 Harrier GR1
USS Guadalcanal LPH 7 18,300 mar 1971 AV-8A
USS Coronado LPD 11(AGF11) 16,800 mar 1971 AV-8A
RFA Green Rover A268 11,520 sep 1971 Harrier GR1
USS Guam LPH 9 18,500 jan 1972 AV-8A
INS Vikrant R11 19,500 july 1972 Harrier T2
SNS Dedalo R01 15,800 oct 1972 Harrier GR1
BNS Minas Gerais A11 19,800 oct 1973 Harrier GR1
FS Jeanne D'Arc R97 12,365 oct 1973 Harrier GR1
FS Foch R99 27,300 nov 1973 Harrier T2
USS Tripoli LPH 10 18,300 aug 1974 AV-8A
USS Inchon LPH 12 18,300 jan 1975 AV-8A
HMS Intrepid L11 12,120 jan 1975 Harrier GR1
RFA Engadine K08 9,000 jan 1975 Harrier GR1
USS Ponce LPD 15 16,800 feb 1975 AV-8A
HMS Fearless L10 12,120 jun 1975 Harrier GR1
USS Iwo Jima LPH 2 18,300 oct 1975 AV-8A
USS New Orleans LPH 11 18,300 dec 1975 AV-8A
USS Juneau LPD 10 16,800 feb 1976 AV-8A
HMS Hermes R12 28,700 apr 1976 Harrier GR1
USS Franklin D Roosevelt CV 42 64,000 jun 1976 AV-8A
USS Ogden LPD 5 16,800 aug 1976 AV-8A
USS Cleveland LPD 7 16,800 aug 1976 AV-8A
USS Trenton LPD 14 16,800 oct 1976 AV-8A
HMAS Melbourne R21 19,966 oct 1976 Harrier T2
USS Saratoga CV 60 80,000 july 1977 AV-8A
USS Shreveport LPD 12 16,800 oct 1977 AV-8A
USS Okinawa LPH 3 18,300 mar 1978 AV-8A
USS Saipan LHA 2 39,300 july 1978 AV-8A
USS Eisenhower CVN 69 91,400 aug 1978 AV-8A
USS Tarawa LHA 1 39,300 dec 1978 AV-8A
RFA Olwen A122 33,120 apr 1979 Sea Harrier FRS1
HMS Invincible R05 19,000 nov 1979 Sea Harrier FRS1
MV Atlantic Conveyer 14,946 apr 1982 Sea Harrier FRS1
HMS Illustrious R06 19,000 aug 1982 Sea Harrier FRS1
From the above list, it is interesting to note that whilst the US had a rolling programme of embarking AV-8As aboard LPHs and LHAs (logically), they were also putting an effort into expanding the range of ships that were cleared to take the Harrier from the large deck CV/CVN fleet down to the LPDs, which would only be able to operate Harriers in te VTOL mode. I suspect the latter was to enable LPDs to be used as diversion landing pads for Harriers returning from a mission if there was an accident aboard the LPH/LHA preventing landing there. In the Falklands War, two Sea Harriers used the flight decks of the LPDs Fearless and Intrepid in San Carlos Water to land and refuel whilst on CAP duty, then launched vertically and resumed patrol.
Ship Tonnage Date of trial Aircraft
HMS Ark Royal R09 50,800 feb 1963 P1127
USS Independence CVA 62 78,000 may 1966 XV-6A Kestrel
USS Raleigh LPD 1 13,900 may 1966 XV-6A Kestrel
HMS Bulwark R08 27,300 june 1966 XV-6A Kestrel
USS La Salle LPD 3 (AGF3) 13,900 may 1969 XV-6A Kestrel
HMS Blake C99 12,100 aug 1969 Harrier GR1
ARA 25de Mayo V2 19,900 sep 1969 Harrier GR1
ITS Andrea Doria C 553 6,500 oct 1969 Harrier GR1
HMS Eagle R05 50,800 mar 1970 Harrier GR1
USS Guadalcanal LPH 7 18,300 mar 1971 AV-8A
USS Coronado LPD 11(AGF11) 16,800 mar 1971 AV-8A
RFA Green Rover A268 11,520 sep 1971 Harrier GR1
USS Guam LPH 9 18,500 jan 1972 AV-8A
INS Vikrant R11 19,500 july 1972 Harrier T2
SNS Dedalo R01 15,800 oct 1972 Harrier GR1
BNS Minas Gerais A11 19,800 oct 1973 Harrier GR1
FS Jeanne D'Arc R97 12,365 oct 1973 Harrier GR1
FS Foch R99 27,300 nov 1973 Harrier T2
USS Tripoli LPH 10 18,300 aug 1974 AV-8A
USS Inchon LPH 12 18,300 jan 1975 AV-8A
HMS Intrepid L11 12,120 jan 1975 Harrier GR1
RFA Engadine K08 9,000 jan 1975 Harrier GR1
USS Ponce LPD 15 16,800 feb 1975 AV-8A
HMS Fearless L10 12,120 jun 1975 Harrier GR1
USS Iwo Jima LPH 2 18,300 oct 1975 AV-8A
USS New Orleans LPH 11 18,300 dec 1975 AV-8A
USS Juneau LPD 10 16,800 feb 1976 AV-8A
HMS Hermes R12 28,700 apr 1976 Harrier GR1
USS Franklin D Roosevelt CV 42 64,000 jun 1976 AV-8A
USS Ogden LPD 5 16,800 aug 1976 AV-8A
USS Cleveland LPD 7 16,800 aug 1976 AV-8A
USS Trenton LPD 14 16,800 oct 1976 AV-8A
HMAS Melbourne R21 19,966 oct 1976 Harrier T2
USS Saratoga CV 60 80,000 july 1977 AV-8A
USS Shreveport LPD 12 16,800 oct 1977 AV-8A
USS Okinawa LPH 3 18,300 mar 1978 AV-8A
USS Saipan LHA 2 39,300 july 1978 AV-8A
USS Eisenhower CVN 69 91,400 aug 1978 AV-8A
USS Tarawa LHA 1 39,300 dec 1978 AV-8A
RFA Olwen A122 33,120 apr 1979 Sea Harrier FRS1
HMS Invincible R05 19,000 nov 1979 Sea Harrier FRS1
MV Atlantic Conveyer 14,946 apr 1982 Sea Harrier FRS1
HMS Illustrious R06 19,000 aug 1982 Sea Harrier FRS1
From the above list, it is interesting to note that whilst the US had a rolling programme of embarking AV-8As aboard LPHs and LHAs (logically), they were also putting an effort into expanding the range of ships that were cleared to take the Harrier from the large deck CV/CVN fleet down to the LPDs, which would only be able to operate Harriers in te VTOL mode. I suspect the latter was to enable LPDs to be used as diversion landing pads for Harriers returning from a mission if there was an accident aboard the LPH/LHA preventing landing there. In the Falklands War, two Sea Harriers used the flight decks of the LPDs Fearless and Intrepid in San Carlos Water to land and refuel whilst on CAP duty, then launched vertically and resumed patrol.
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Believe it or not the Harrier landed while the Guam was in port at pier 12 NOB Norfolk. I watched the whole thing from the flight deck of the JFK. The JFK was also moored at pier 12 at NOB Norfolk. This occurred in January of 1973 not '72.
CV-42 actually made an entire deployment in '76 & '77 with USMC Sea Harriers aboard. Some sort of experiment.
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Ambivalent
Junior Member
Dedalo had steel on at least the after half of the flight deck when she was converted to a VSTOL carrier, that much I do know. I saw her in Rota.
The LM-2500-30 makes 27,000 shp each. These are what power the latest versions of the Burke class. I would not be surprised if this is what Hyuga has too.
The LM-2500-30 makes 27,000 shp each. These are what power the latest versions of the Burke class. I would not be surprised if this is what Hyuga has too.
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Re: Latest PLAN Aircraft Carrier Info & Photos
ff
Off topic i know but intresting.
Japan seems to be planing a new large helicopter destroyer (Carrier).
A respons to Chinas plans for a carrier?
ffOff topic i know but intresting.
Japan seems to be planing a new large helicopter destroyer (Carrier).
A respons to Chinas plans for a carrier?
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
One Of the Big selling points for the JSF Vtol variant is the Use of a Lift fan which Allows a second Blast off Cooler Air too help break up the jet's exhaust.
Ambivalent
Junior Member
There has been a lot of salesmanship going on with that thing. Sigh. Now there is a problem for the USN with this aircraft. The USN makes a habit of filling out it's carrier air groups with Marine Corps F/A-18 squadrons. The Marines plan to replace their F/A-18 A through D models and all their Harriers with F-35B STOVL fighters and the US Navy is scratching their heads about how to integrate a STOVL aircraft into the carrier's flight operations. Don't think this will be easily solved either, flight deck operations are very carefully choreographed. This is a nice big monkey wrench in the well oiled machine. I'm certain others here will see it as a simple problem to solve. Fire away!
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