Why did every country have a flying boat ?

[Thumpalumpacus]

It was a football (an American football) given as an award by the group commander for excellent maintenance performance!

"A little bit of leave would be nice too, Skipper!"

 

[SaparotRob]

True. Mind you, the Brits, with a far larger economy don't have much more. Today's RN of two (mostly CAG-less) CVs, two LPDs, six destroyers, twelve frigates, eight OPVs, eleven minesweepers, five SSNs and four boomers is a far cry from the size of the RN of just a few decades ago. Of course the marketing departments of the RN and is contracted shipbuilders will tell you that each of these ships is vastly more capable than those before, but a ship can only be in one place no matter its abilities. And like all navies, at least half of that fleet will be in port under refit, repair or rotation at any time.

The RN has WAY more. Even with fewer ships it is still the Royal Navy, not Mikhail's Navy.

 

[Admiral Beez]

The RN has WAY more.

Way more active ships, with men and parts to operate them? Absolutely.

I will feel better though when the QE class sail with hangars full of British-owned and operated F-35s and Crowsnest-equipped Merlins.

Now, as a Brit-born Canuck, if only I could see the RCN get their act together. We should have bought those two Mistrals, for example. If the RAN can afford to acquire and operate LHDs so can the RCN.

 

[33k in the air]

"A little bit of leave would be nice too, Skipper!"

Especially if that leave is with Ginger and Mary Ann!

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Especially if that leave is with Ginger and Mary Ann!

Oh, Lord love a dove, that would be leave indeed.

 

[SaparotRob]

I have always been profoundly in love with Dawn Welles.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

I have always been profoundly in love with Dawn Welles.

I am most certainly a MaryAnne guy.

 

[GrauGeist]

I remember those arguments well.

"Who was hotter, Ginger or Maryann?"

And:

"Who was hotter, Morticia Addams or Lily Munster?"

 

[33k in the air]

I am most certainly a MaryAnne guy.

Same here.

Similarly, I was a Bailey Quarters guy over Jennifer Marlowe (for those who remember a certain sitcom set in a radio station).

 

[Capt. Vick]

True. Mind you, the Brits, with a far larger economy don't have much more. Today's RN of two (mostly CAG-less) CVs, two LPDs, six destroyers, twelve frigates, eight OPVs, eleven minesweepers, five SSNs and four boomers is a far cry from the size of the RN of just a few decades ago. Of course the marketing departments of the RN and is contracted shipbuilders will tell you that each of these ships is vastly more capable than those before, but a ship can only be in one place no matter its abilities. And like all navies, at least half of that fleet will be in port under refit, repair or rotation at any time.

I assume the tradeoff is social programs, like universal Healthcare?

 

[Capt. Vick]

Morticia all the way

 

[SaparotRob]

Morticia Adams, as portrayed by Caroline Jones, was my first love.

 

[GrauGeist]

I liked Lily Munster.

Yvonne De Carlo, by the way, was a WWII pin-up girl.

 

[Capt. Vick]

Doing her part for the war effort. Nice!

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Same here.

Similarly, I was a Bailey Quarters guy over Jennifer Marlowe (for those who remember a certain sitcom set in a radio station).

Agreed, Bailey was hawt.

 

[chris ballance]

You know with a little work a Blackburn B20 could have been made into an amphibIan for the rescue operation on the beach of Gilligan's Island

 

[GrauGeist]

The airplane that did appear in one of the episodes of Gilligan's Island, was actually a rare Krieder-Riesner KR21 biplane.

 

[chris ballance]

The airplane that did appear in one of the episodes of Gilligan's Island, was actually a rare Krieder-Riesner KR21 biplane.

 

[chris ballance]

"Wrongway Feldman's" Krieder Reisner KR21 could land on the beach

 

[fubar57]

After Mary-Ann left, I stopped watching