yes it would be easier for 1carrier type,i seem to recall that there would be 6 F35 serving on the CATOBAR carrier by 2020 im just thinking that maybe it might be a good idea to have 20? fully worked up F18 by 2018? or sooner if the carrier is ready,why wouldnt the FAA want there own fixed wing capabililty? & the RAF get want they want? F35c, im just worried about the capability gap,yes hornet proberly not as capable as F35 in a lot of areas,also the RAF could provide the surge capacity of another 20 airframes if required as soon as they can.

since we are in the F35 program bigstyle theres no point not buying any,but why dont we have for example buy 20 F18 superhornet for the royalnavy,80 F35 for the RAF,pilots are already training on the hornets so all will proberbly be upto speed by the time we get the CATOBAR carrier in service,20 F18 cheaper than 20 F35,then the RAF can provide the extra numbers on the carriers with there F35 when needed and they get their deep strike requirement sorted,RN get a perminant small fixed wing element back-all happy, regular experienced carrier pilots,also surely haveing 2engines flying over the sea has got to be safer just in case,and if the RN decide later to convert to the F35 we could always sell the superhornet to argentina!:diablo:

[QUOTE=cockneyjock1974;1792736]If only I wasn’t working Serge, i’m afraid i’m going to miss it all :([/QU
I know its not the same as being there:rolleyes: but since theres a webcam of the dock on the ACA website im sure (hope) they will update it to show the move. just looked at navynews website,apparently the deck blocks for LB03 are scheduled to go to rosyth on the 12th sep,coolio,more progress

my main reason for saying it would be good to convert QE on her first service was to save money in the short term by not buying the cats n traps for a few more years,i agree it would be easier to convert her whilst building & more expensive on her first refit in the early/mid 2020s but the navy budget would of increased by then? maybe….i just looked on the flickr website there some really good pictures of LB 03 going under the forth bridge.

cockneyjock1974 well aleast the weather seems good to be hanging around,your very dedicated,

looking forward to seeing her in dock so much,hopefully we might see her with sponsons added etc by the end of year then that will really make her look in proportion,4acres! of flight deck,floating out in 3 years.roll on 2014.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

there is also some nice new pictures of LB 03 on the barg sailing down the clyde on the BAE website,getting well excited to see her arrive & best of luck to all the cyclists,ive always liked the name victorious! does anyone know if she is going straight into the drydock? if so is it already flooded.

thanks for the link pongoglo,good little video,i like the bloke getting shot of his jet ski! if the operation of the system is as good as the hype thats a good bit of kit.:dev2: i assume the barge with LB03 is still leaving on tuesday,hope we can get some good pictures of it arriveing in the dock at the weekend?