Reply With QuoteKnowing the French as well as I do, they would probably rather give up women, wine and cheese before allowing their carrier to be built in a UK yard lol. Which is what I like about them to be fair, they are nationalistic when it comes to defence
Can't wait, wonder how long to mate the sections? Weather should be better. Too bad there's not a third unit in the class, they wouldn't have to artificially pace everything then. If the MN decides to build its PA2, would the hull be built in Britain and then floated across for fitting out? or would it be a completely French project - After all, Cunard did build the QM2 in a French yard.Originally Posted by SDL
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Knowing the French as well as I do, they would probably rather give up women, wine and cheese before allowing their carrier to be built in a UK yard lol. Which is what I like about them to be fair, they are nationalistic when it comes to defence
Just to clear up my point, LB02 will be delivered in April, I just assumed LB05 and the forward island would be transport at the same time, after all they are blocking LB02 in the construction hall and it can’t be transported until they are finished and moved.
The forward island will not be installed until late on the in the year, a lot of bits need to come together before it can be place on the ship.
As for the PA2 can the French build a carrier the size of the QE class, we have to use 6 different yards across the country to build our carriers?
Thanks for the clarification Jdam. As to building a PA2 in French yards, they did build the QM2 in dry dock at Le Havre I believe. They should have the capacity, however, since all the tooling for the hull and component already exists in British yards, maybe they would have the blocks built in Britain and then assembled in France?
Maybe like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GpuTjbU5ak
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Last edited by USS Alabama; 01-19-2012 at 12:43 PM.
The US also pretty much hews to this concept as well = look at the tiff over the next generation tankers for the USAF...Knowing the French as well as I do, they would probably rather give up women, wine and cheese before allowing their carrier to be built in a UK yard lol. Which is what I like about them to be fair, they are nationalistic when it comes to defence
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So do we... We made a big old song and dance about Apache being assembled here, with Rolls Royce engines and UK avionics. QE and POW will be just the same...
I would say probably not. There is not much to go into the bow compartments in terms of on board systems, and its relatively compact, so they'd put that together quite quickly so that they can concentrate their resources on constructing the larger parts like LB03 etc, which houses the engineering spaces etc. Vastly more complex and time consuming to build, and store!
i must have missed that song.... wasn't aware we built the Apache's....
It's why they're called, AgustaWestland Apaches or WAH-64s - built in Yeovil under licence from Boeing.
Boeing built the first 18 then supplied the other 59 in kit form.We used our own engines,avionics and folding rotor blades.
They're supposedly better then the originals.
and that is why boeing were looking to buy back our apaches complete to evaluate them and improve on their own design
I was rather of the opinion that LB02 possibly with LB05 and the forward superstructure will leave Portmouth on 30 May for floating into the dry dock on 22 June. It should then take them a couple of weeks to fit the after Centre Block to LB02 before being in a position to lift and move Super Block 03 forward in the dock to join LB02. Therefore by the end of July the blocks should be joined after which forward construction should progress quickly so that the the forward three fifths of the ship are structurally complete in time for the arrival of LB04. In essence from June this year construction is going to be very exciting.
They're having another go at the sponson just now, will keep u all posted.
@naval oldie what I have learned is that the info out there about delivery schedules of the various blocks/sponsons, in particular the ACA build video lead times are just rough guides. Hell I think the new vid was out for less than 24hrs and they did something completely different to what they said they were going to do in the video. Agreed though I'm going to be a busy snapper during the early summer, which suits me
I agree that dates are not set in stone, particularly when it comes to the order and dates when centre blocks and sponsons are fitted. However, it is worth bearing in mind that CB03 was moved into daylight about a month before it left the Clyde because the barge loading and securing procedure obviously takes considerable time. For an April departure from Portsmouth, LB02 and possibly LB05 and the forward superstructure would have to emerge from the construction hall in March which may be too soon for LB05 which is currently blocking the exit. Of course I stand to be corrected by events and I would be delighted to see an April move but I just wished to raise a note of caution about the April date that had gathered strength in the discussion forum.They're having another go at the sponson just now, will keep u all posted.
@naval oldie what I have learned is that the info out there about delivery schedules of the various blocks/sponsons, in particular the ACA build video lead times are just rough guides. Hell I think the new vid was out for less than 24hrs and they did something completely different to what they said they were going to do in the video. Agreed though I'm going to be a busy snapper during the early summer, which suits me
Cockneyjock, its good to hear that the penultimate sponson that makes up Super Block 03 is being placed on the ship today. Is there any sign of the last one being prepared near the dry dock for lifting next friday or a week after that?
I suspect that the April date has come about because this is when ACA updates have said LB02 will be completed. But as you say, it takes several weeks or more to move such a large block and secure it on the barge. I believe you are correct that the plan is that LB02 will begin it's journey on 30th May ready to be floated into dry dock from 22nd June.
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