AIRCRAFT CARRIER.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 245, 12 July 1928, Page 1

AIRCRAFT CARRIER.

THRILLING SIGHTS ON DECK. (By a special correspondent with the Atlantic Fleet.) A Fleet Air-Arm has been in existence for years. Until a few months ago, however, when the ban of official secrecy was lifted from the air-craft-carriers of His Majesty’s Navy, the public had little opportunity of understanding the manifold work and duties of the aerial service afloat. It is not easy to record the mingled impressions of a trip to sea in one of these interesting ships. With her great length of flush steel deck, slightly overlapping the hull on either side and stretching fore and aft like a roof to more than the length of a Rugby football ground, and the absence of superstructure, masts, and funnels, the sh‘p is unlike any visited before. One marvels at the size of the hangers for accommodating the machines; at the ingenuity of the hydraulic lifts used for bringing them on the flight deck; the species of open fence, or sloping palisade, along portions of the side, to prevent them from, slipping overboard in the event of faulty landings; the short hinged masts with their wireless aerials; a small navigating bridge which disappears flush with the flight deck when flying is in progress; various wind screens of perforated steel, raised or lowered at will by the simple operation of a lever in a central position; and the means by which smoke from the boilers is discharged either from orifices aft in the flight deck or through funnel ducts along the ship’s side nearer the water-line.

While flying off or on is in progress the captain occupies a small platform on the starboard side of the flight deck forward, fitted with the usual compass, engine-room telegraphs, and other navigational appliances, and maintains a steady ship depending upon the wind velocity. He is in communication with the wingcommander in a similar platform on the opposite side of the deck, who exhibits the necessary signals for the machines to land, or gives the signals for tak ; ng-off. There is no question of dual contrrol, though a grea. deal must necessarily depend upon the personalities of the officers concerned.

Taken up in a lift, with its alarm bells clanging to warn thoses concerned that it was in motion, we emerged on to the top flight deck to find four machines lined up in readiness for a practice flight. Spotless ly clean in their brilliant red, white, and blue, with aluminium and metal work shining like silver and gold in the Mediterranean sun, they seemed too decorative and fragile altogether to be associated with any idea of war. It was only when we had been hurried forward to the shelter of the bridge and the pilots clambered into their seats and started their engines that one realised something of their purpose.

The drone of the leader developed into a deafening roar • and her propellcxr became invisible in a circle of light. A couple of men in brown overalls, lying flat on the deck, withdrew the chocks they were holding dn either side of the wheels and ducked their heads at some invisible signal. The machine started to move She gathered speed rapidly as the ship drove into the wind. The great rubber-tyred wheels lifter an inch o * two from the deck—six inches, a foot. Before we realised it, before she had even rushed by, she was defiinily aidtooume. Lifting • steadily, her wheels still spinning, she had shot into space over the bows of the ship, tilted over to one wing, circled,, and started to climb. Another machine sped off, —another and yet a fourth. A string of “flycatchers” or single seater fighters, shot one after the other into the air from another flight deck below “Darts 0 - carrying‘torpedoes appeared on deck, flew off, and formed up in a V overhead, before disappearing into the blue. Half an hour lifter they w e/re sighted far away over a cloud bank to the eastward. The ship increased speed; and commenced to twist and turn to put Ithem off their attack.