HMS Ark Royal IV 1950-1980

[red devil]

An image of the Bearn from my site

[Mitch Hinde]

Originally Posted by orris

Yes it was taken in France ..... Toulon , 1955.
You chaps really know your stuff.
And Mitch, having been to Valletta several times over the last 20 years I think you're probably right. When did the opera house get demolished ?
Regards ........ Gary.

Hi Gary

If you go to the Malta, Sliema creek thread there is virtually the same shot of Kingsway taken in daylight.
The Opera House was destroyed during the war. There was a rumour that it may be rebuilt but I think that it was only a rumour. The area around the gate to Valleta is all being redevolped and was, and still is, a building site when I was there in March this year. The bloke to tell you what is actually happening is Mel on the Sliema thread as he lives on the island.

Mitch Hinde

[orris]

Thanks Mitch, I got married in Valletta July 2011 and the old opera house was a building site.
Regards..... Gary

[orris]

Here's a few more from the album

[scouse]

Don't know if this has been done before??? Here goes http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=141_1312498000. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ed6_1312498976

[Destroyerman]

Brings back memories Scouse. I was ships company at the time of filming but not a "Badger". I was Double Bottoms Party, keeping the floating airfield horizontal, fuelled and watered.

The video also reminded me of when I was "Holdback Jockey" on HMS HERMES first commission 1959-62. As a JM(E), we were considered expendable if blown over the side.

Thanks for the memories.

Sandy.

[Davidt]

Some more photo's I have recently scanned.

[ap1]

Originally Posted by Davidt

Some more photo's I have recently scanned.

In shots 2 & 3, is the gun cocooned; or was that normal protection?

[jbryce1437]

I'm puzzled by photos 2 & 3 as Triumph had the deck letter P around the Korean War era.

Jim

[BCRenown]

Originally Posted by jbryce1437

I'm puzzled by photos 2 & 3 as Triumph had the deck letter P around the Korean War era.

Jim

Agreed Jim, photos 2 & 3 are certainly not of Ark Royal and look very much to be of a Colossus class carrier. I am pretty sure the 'P' makes it HMS Triumph.

Monty

[ludsie]

Did Triumph fly off jets in Korea?

Also the deck looks angled

Not that I'm an expert on bird farms

[ludsie]

Take back angled just line markings

[oldsalt]

Originally Posted by ludsie

Did Triumph fly off jets in Korea?

Also the deck looks angled

Not that I'm an expert on bird farms

To my knowledge the Fleet Air Arm may have had no jet aircraft for the whole war, certainly not at sea..

[jbryce1437]

I believe only the first photo could be Ark Royal, with a Scimitar landing. The other two photos are most probably of Triumph
The attached photo is Ark Royal in the reversed view.

Jim

[Teuchter]

I fairly sure you are spot on there Jim

[jbryce1437]

Had my scanner out and thought I would post these photos of crew members during my time aboard 1964 to 1967. Seems like yesterday and sorry if there are a lot with me on, I presume I gave a lot of my photos away to the people who were in them
I hope someone recognises themselves.

Jim

[jbryce1437]

I took these photos of some Army (spotter?) planes doing some landing trials aboard Ark Royal in 1966. Not sure if we were off Gibraltar at that time. No need for Arrestor Wires or Steam Catapults. May have been in preparation for when the Fleet Air Arm had no fixed wing aircraft of their own, such as now

Jim

Ps They may be in the pipeline for the new Queen Elizabeth Class

[Teuchter]

Great photos Jim - thanks for sharing them

I notice "jumbo" is well represented in pics 2, 3 and 4 of the "Pongo" - can't really tell who the crew were though.

[Brian Wentzell]

Gentlemen: There are plenty of DeHavilland Beavers and Otters, some now turbine powered, available on the used market to form the necessary Army Air Corps squadrons to fulfill the needs of 16 Air Assault Brigade and 3 Commando Brigade, per terrae per mare. You could probably buy the whole lot for less than the cost of one F35!!!
Brian

[red devil]

excellent images, thanks. One of my biggest regrets is that, as a kid on the Wirral, I never had a camera. All that history in my head but cannot share!! Take images now, for later.

[jbryce1437]

Some more photos, probably taken 1965 when transitting the Suez Canal. I think that, on the 1966 return through the canal, we were in company with the Royal Yacht which was, possibly returning from a visit to Australia.

Jim

[jbryce1437]

More photos from the Suez Canal transit. The last photo is of the souvenir boats hoisted onto the flight deck. From them you could buy AFO's, discreetly hidden, but written by someone who could not spell, or type
The Hully Gully man also performed on the flight deck, not a patch on Tommy Cooper thought

Jim

[Don Boyer]

What is the dramatic monument in the third photo of your post 234, Jim? Never made the transit myself, being a Pacific Fleet dude in my day, so am unfamiliar with it, but vaguely remember it has been mentioned on the forum previously.

[oldsalt]

The monument is the ANZAC memorial to commemorate all the Australian & New Zealand who lost their lives at Gallipoli during WW1. When transiting the canal we had a sweepstake on the actual time the bow of the ship was exactly opposite the memorial.

[Don Boyer]

Thanks for that, Old Salt. ANZAC did ring a bell after I thought of it. Anything on why that particular spot was selected for the memorial for those who fought and died a long way from there? It does seem an appropriate place however, considering all the RN ships that would have had to pass through there then and now.

Regards,