Tight fit as new carrier gets under way

BRITAIN: With its tallest radar mast lowered to fit under the Forth’s bridges, the Royal Navy’s new flagship set sail for its first trials last night.

The 65,000-tonne HMS Queen Elizabeth slowly emerged from its dockyard into the Firth of Forth, bringing traffic to a halt on the road bridge as carloads of ship enthusiasts tried to get a glimpse.

The largest warship Britain has ever had was due to use the low tide to glide under the bridges before anchoring in Kirkcaldy Bay ahead of sailing into the North Sea.

The vessel was only able to fit under the bridge, with a little under two metres to spare, after lowering its rear radar mast, which has a hinge for such occasions.

Speaking before taking the ship out, commanding officer Captain Jerry Kyd admitted he would find it difficult not to duck instinctively when the vessel passed under the Forth’s three bridges.

He said the headroom would be repeatedly measured with laser range finders in advance, but the final check would be made the oldfashioned way.

‘‘The final check is me on an 1845 patent sextant, so I know personally we can go under.‘‘

For the officer due to navigate under the bridges, it was not just their structures that bring a hazard, but also what they carry.

Lieutenant Commander Jez Brettell, navigating officer, said: ‘‘In naval folklore, if a train goes over the top of the bridge as you are underneath, because in the days of steam the sanitary nature of trains was not as it is today, then the navigator had to buy a beer for everybody on the upper deck at the time.’’

Around 10,000 people worked on building the ship, which was made up in sections at six yards around Britain and transported to Rosyth to be assembled.

As HMS Queen Elizabeth left Rosyth, it left behind Britain’s second carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, which is still being built. But it will return for tweaks and adjustments after the first six weeks of trials.

‘‘After that, we’re going back out for a further three weeks to test the ship on the more warfighting capabilities - the radars, all the ship’s sensors, radios and things like that,’’ Kyd said.

Admiral Sir Philip Jones, the First Sea Lord, said: ‘‘Once in service, HMS Queen Elizabeth will be the largest aircraft carrier in the world outside the United States, and the first designed from the outset to operate a fifth-generation aircraft.’’ – Telegraph Group

PHOTO: REUTERS The aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth - the largest warship Britain has ever had - is eased out of its berth at a shipyard in Rosyth by tugs before setting off on its maiden voyage, starting six weeks of sea trials.