The Cunard Container Ship “Atlantic Conveyor”
Aircraft/helicopter support ship “Atlantic Conveyor”
practising Sea Harrier landings before sailing south
Not the containers forming walls offering some protection
The support ship Atlantic Conveyor carried a number of British aircraft and helicopters to the Falklands. (Again notic the walls and in this shot you can see how the harriers were able to be used even during the Ferry tripWould you like to know MORE?
Only the Sea Harrier on the landing pad could have been used in any kind of a hurry to deal with any snooping Hercules etc.
The other Sea Harriers had only enough fuel in their tanks for a short hop between ships at the start and end of the ferry mission and the RAF Harriers would have had to be unwrapped as well as having only limited fuel.
The danger from snooping Hercules was there as can be seen from the experience of the neutral tanker Hercules – the Argentine atack on this is something never mentioned when people complain about the attack on the Belgrano, admitedly it was done after the attack on the Belgrano but it destroys any moral high ground the Argentines could claim.
http://www.admiraltylawguide.com/supct/AmeradaHess.htm
By June 8, 1982, after a stop in Brazil, the Hercules was in international waters about 600 nautical miles from Argentina and 500 miles from the Falklands; she was outside the “war zones” designated by Britain and Argentina. At 12:15 Greenwich mean time, the ship’s master made a routine report by radio to Argentine officials, providing the ship’s [488 U.S. 428, 432] name, international call sign, registry, position, course, speed, and voyage description. About 45 minutes later, an Argentine military aircraft began to circle the Hercules. The ship’s master repeated his earlier message by radio to Argentine officials, who acknowledged receiving it. Six minutes later, without provocation, another Argentine military plane began to bomb the Hercules; the master immediately hoisted a white flag. A second bombing soon followed, and a third attack came about two hours later, when an Argentine jet struck the ship with an air-to-surface rocket. Disabled but not destroyed, the Hercules reversed course and sailed to Rio de Janeiro, the nearest safe port. At Rio de Janeiro, respondent United Carriers determined that the ship had suffered extensive deck and hull damage, and that an undetonated bomb remained lodged in her No. 2 tank. After an investigation by the Brazilian Navy, United Carriers decided that it would be too hazardous to remove the undetonated bomb, and on July 20, 1982, the Hercules was scuttled 250 miles off the Brazilian coast.
Turbinia: Yes they are susseptable to damage, but the shere fact that these vessels are in and out of dry dock faster than a ferarri at a Formula 1 race with the dings and dents fixed up tells you that they can handle it. I wouldn’t be too suprised if an ADCAP went straight through one without exploding and still looked for a target to hit.
The Main deck is a null and void part of the equation, ever heard of the MAC ships of WWII?
HMS Empire MacAlpine.Notice the flight deck? Notice how there is no Island? and with todays technology we really don’t need an island structure. Besides even if you did have a block island running across the beam, VSTOL doesn’t need a runway nor do Helos or Ospreys or for that matter BA-609’s
Click here for more on the MAC ships of WWII or read “Jane’s WARSHIPS of World War II buy Collins Publications
MACships did have island, you can see it in the photo you attached.
The problem was lack of hanger for the tanker MAC’s at least, GrainerMAC’s had a hanger for 3 Swordfish.
So anything using a Car Carrier is going to have to have to have all work done in the open on a very high flight deck, from what I can see, Car Carriers have all the built in problems with a Ro-Ro, (One hit and roll over) for no real advantage over a standard Ro-Ro.
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