Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

U.K. aircraft carrier up for bids
upi ^ | March. 28, 2011

Posted on 03/29/2011 10:23:25 AM PDT by JoeProBono

LONDON, - The British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal can be yours, courtesy of the U.K. Ministry of Defense auction Web site, authorities said.

The former flagship of the Royal Navy was decommissioned two weeks ago years as part of the government's defense budget review after serving with the fleet for 25, the BBC reported.

Interested auction bidders can view Ark Royal at her home port, Portsmouth Naval Base, on May 3 and 4, authorities said.

Bidders wishing to inspect the carrier must submit an outline of their "intentions regarding the vessel" to the Ministry of Defense, the BBC said.

There have been proposals to turn it into a commercial heliport, a base for security personnel during the London Olympics, or a school and nightclub.

Ark Royal's operations have included spearheading British naval forces during the invasion of Iraq.

For those who can't quite manage the purchase of an aircraft carrier, there are also three destroyers -- HMS Exeter, HMS Southampton and HMS Nottingham -- up for auction, the BBC reported.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; History; Military/Veterans; Travel
KEYWORDS: aircraftcarrier; froglips; hmsarkroyal
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-65 next last

Deck Decor Not Included


1 posted on 03/29/2011 10:23:29 AM PDT by JoeProBono
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: NicknamedBob; Anoreth; Darksheare

Don’t you think we could use this?


2 posted on 03/29/2011 10:26:44 AM PDT by Tax-chick (Nadie me ama como Jesus.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono
Bidders wishing to inspect the carrier must submit an outline of their "intentions regarding the vessel" to the Ministry of Defense

I want to create the world's largest party barge and tour the Caribbean with 1000 of my closest friends.

3 posted on 03/29/2011 10:27:48 AM PDT by Sax
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono

I said it before and I’ll say it again...

There are plenty of former military people here at FR to buy this carrier cheap, and go into business as a Mercenary force for good. I volunteer to be Air Boss and will work for 3 hots and a cot...

Lots of former carrier pilots here too, that might know where we could get our hands on some real airplanes....


4 posted on 03/29/2011 10:28:28 AM PDT by Bean Counter (Stout Hearts!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick
Don’t you think we could use this?

No. We already have 11 carriers and 10 amphibious assault ships larger than Ark Royal is.

5 posted on 03/29/2011 10:32:28 AM PDT by K-Stater
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono

I’d like to take it for a spin first...


6 posted on 03/29/2011 10:33:08 AM PDT by Adder (Part 1 Accomplished)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: K-Stater

I meant Darksheare and Bob and Anoreth and me, and the rest of the Undead, not the United States Navy.


7 posted on 03/29/2011 10:36:03 AM PDT by Tax-chick (Nadie me ama como Jesus.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono
You'll like this one Joe...

Circa 1982, ABE-2 (I was 27...) USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) about 3 AM after coming out of catapult #1's water brake tank...



...and I needed a haircut too...


8 posted on 03/29/2011 10:36:31 AM PDT by Bean Counter (Stout Hearts!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono

I’m surprised the Chinese aren’ interested.


9 posted on 03/29/2011 10:38:36 AM PDT by TexasRepublic (Socialism is the gospel of envy and the religion of thieves)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

That’s a good size chunk of mobile real estate.
Could be quite useful.


10 posted on 03/29/2011 10:41:04 AM PDT by Darksheare (Dear Interdimensional Monstrosity, I fear our relationship has taken a turn for the worse...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Darksheare

Room for dragons, and *all* our books!


11 posted on 03/29/2011 10:41:57 AM PDT by Tax-chick (Nadie me ama como Jesus.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

And a museum on the side too!


12 posted on 03/29/2011 10:43:05 AM PDT by Darksheare (Dear Interdimensional Monstrosity, I fear our relationship has taken a turn for the worse...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Bean Counter

Love the rotary dial phone in the corner.


13 posted on 03/29/2011 10:43:05 AM PDT by Disambiguator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono

When’s Jim’s birthday?


14 posted on 03/29/2011 10:43:25 AM PDT by free_life (If you ask Jesus to forgive you and to save you, He will.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bean Counter

I will be the weather guesser!


15 posted on 03/29/2011 10:43:42 AM PDT by wxgesr (I want to be the first person to surf on another planet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Bean Counter

Biggest problem is acquiring all of the metric tools to fix the damnable thing...1200 lb steam plants?


16 posted on 03/29/2011 10:45:36 AM PDT by wxgesr (I want to be the first person to surf on another planet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono

What a shame.

Destined to become razor blades, more than likely.


17 posted on 03/29/2011 10:49:52 AM PDT by RexBeach
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bean Counter

GREAT PIC!!


18 posted on 03/29/2011 10:50:07 AM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet - Visualize)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono
"For those who can't quite manage the purchase of an aircraft carrier, there are also three destroyers -- HMS Exeter, HMS Southampton and HMS Nottingham -- up for auction, the BBC reported."

Any frigates for sale? Something I can fit nicely on lake Erie. Seriously, does the U.K. have anymore aircraft carriers in service now? I know they are building two more that should be operable later on this decade but right now do they have anything?
19 posted on 03/29/2011 10:52:22 AM PDT by Old Teufel Hunden
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono
She pulled into Mayport FL about 1979 or 80, and we partied quite a bit with her British Sailors. We got to tour the ship, and were we jealous. While we Saratoga sailors emptied out our Pop machine before the Cokes had a chance to get cold, Ark Royal sailors had a daily allotment of beer. On the other hand we hated them because the Florida girls fell for their British accents and they were the ones walking out of the bars with the girls.
20 posted on 03/29/2011 10:53:51 AM PDT by NavyCanDo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-65 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson