In photos: HMS Queen Elizabeth arrives in Gibraltar

In photos: HMS Queen Elizabeth arrives in Gibraltar

HMS Queen Elizabeth arrived in Gibraltar this morning for her first overseas visit. Here are some images of her arrival and operations since leaving Portsmouth last week.

Escorted by HMS Somerset
Looking really purposeful…

Photo: David Sanchez / @86_dmjs
Photo: David Sanchez / @86_dmjs
image: Moses Anahory / @MAnahory
Approaching Gibraltar
Image: @HMSQNLZ
Image: Boatshed Gibraltar / @boatshedgib

“It is a great privilege for me to be bringing our new aircraft carrier into Gibraltar for her first ever overseas port visit. It’s the perfect stop for HMS Queen Elizabeth as we conduct our flying trials in the waters off the Iberian Peninsula. Our visit also underlines the incredibly rich history and special relationship the Royal Navy and Royal Marines share with Gibraltar. I am personally very lucky to have visited the Rock many times in my naval career, but well over a quarter of my sailors have not yet experienced what, for the Royal Navy, is something of an iconic run ashore.” Captain Jerry Kyd, CO, HMS Queen Elizabeth

Wild
Wildcat from HMS Somerset providing force protection lands at RAF Gibraltar. Photo: David Sanchez / @86_dmjs
As the ship made her way in heavy seas towards Gibraltar, the fifty FOST personnel on board have been testing the ship’s company’s response to fire, flood and casualties
While at Anchor in Mounts Bay on the 6th February, Merlins from 820 Naval Air Squadron and MOD Boscombe Down landed on to carry out flying trials.
Merlin goes down on the aft lift
The first 27 Squadron RAF Chinook, configured for trials, was brought down on the aircraft lift and into the hangar. It’s a tight fit but the QEC hangars and lifts were designed to handle this aircraft from the outset. The non-folding rotors are very unlikely to be addressed unless the RN can find some money and persuade the RAF to marinise a few aircraft. The operation looks precarious but the decks have non-slip coating and wheels are locked with brakes and chocks while the aircraft and rotors are secured by multiple lashings. It is interesting to speculate what would be the highest sea state in which this evolution could be safely undertaken.
From this angle it does not look like such a tight fit – with some clearance to spare
The Chinook in the hangar. On the Invincibles and HMS Ocean, this would only have been possible by removing the blades entirely, a lengthy and difficult procedure. Although non-folding blades are far from ideal, with careful arrangement other aircraft can be stowed around or even partially under the rotors in the very large hangar.

4 Merlins and 2 Chinooks in the hangar
4 Merlins and 2 Chinooks in the hangar

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Steve

Awesome pictures, great article, thanks.

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Mick Humphreys

Strange that this Chinook cannot fold its rotors. Takes up a lot of space. Presumably a maritime version is planned?

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Grubbie

If the Chinook had folding blades no one could justify the V22 and the CH53k

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Rick

When they decommissioned the old Ark Royal in 1978, I never thought we would see “big carrier” days again in the Royal Navy. Twenty years after conception the QE Class is here and it is fabulous!

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4thwatch

Somewhere I have photo of old Ark leaving Gib and sailing into the sunset. I never thought we would see her likes again.

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sjb1968

Great to see her showing the world what is and always will be our strongest arm, the RN. We now need a steady rebuild of escort numbers and 3 more SSNs.

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ianH

I note that the Chinooks are the Mk3/5 version which I think have some revisions to the landing gear so surprised that they haven’t also got a Mk6 for deck evaluation

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