My view is formed mostly by Argentinian generals and admirals flat out telling their British equivalents after war that if the Ark Royal was still in service they would not have invaded. Mainly because any landing force, and the attendant surface ships would have been pummelled by the Buccaneers and their Skyhawks would have been pummelled by the Phantoms.
Bloody Fossil
Well, no attack at all wouldn't have made for a very interesting story. 
Though my Argentine leadership shows some overconfident and self-destructive tendencies, refusing the British ultimatum a week after the arrival of the task force. Even with General Belgrano sunk, the Exocet attack on HMS Sheffield beaten back by AEW-controlled Phantoms and Veinticinco de Mayo crippled by a Buccaneer attack, they just keep on trucking.
Anyway, war or not, the difference made by Phantom-carrying ship would have been significant.
A different shape every step I take A different mind every step of the line
V
AEW? Was it a Hawkeye, or something else?
Keep Rolling On
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
Well according to the wiki page for the Ark, they had Gannets to do that job.
Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar
This is possibly the next step of flight technology. Or just an insanity.
V
@ Tam: I know about the Gannet, I was just thought that Alternate History carrier was one of the CVA-01 design, which would have needed an AEW aircraft — there were plans for a home-made CAEW craft*, but it would have probably ended up with a Hawkeye in the end...
edited 28th Oct '12 2:05:02 PM by Greenmantle
Keep Rolling On
Dreams of Revenge
@Gannet:
They shut down one engine (prop?) in flight to conserve fuel as well IIRC. Nice aircraft.
Anyway, I'm back from my absence. I got a look at some helicopters (a Gazelle and an EC-135, though there was also a Blohm helo) up close. The Gazelle's seats (which were covered in kevlar, mind) were surprisingly comfy. It's also got a tiny piece of string tied to a small pole to show the pilot whether they're flying straight or not.
I can answer specific questions if you wish, though I can't remember too much detail.
Locking you up on radar since '09
Bloody Fossil
Insanity, definitely.
Four Hawkeye AEW.1 aircraft in carrier air group.
One half of the Gannet's Double Mamba turboprop could be shut down at a time during cruise flight, with the corresponding prop feathered. You only had to try and keep the shut-down times balanced between the two halves.
I have flown in a Gazelle. Fuck Ferraris, fuck Porsches, that thing is a real speed machine. Especially in the hands of an AAC pilot. Those folks are mental.
Oh right. Hawkeyes WOULD make more sense in an AU fic. I sit, well, slump ungainly on my settee corrected, 8-)
edited 28th Oct '12 2:26:23 PM by TamH70
Dreams of Revenge
@Tam:
Funnily enough, I think it was an AAC guy who was talking to us about the Gazelle. For something that can churn out 600 horse power, the engine's rather small.
@Catfish:
Oh, I see.
Locking you up on radar since '09
V
I'll just drop this
here — and check the home page for his view on the MoD's possible F-35 buy...
edited 28th Oct '12 4:16:35 PM by Greenmantle
Keep Rolling On
Bloody Fossil
If the RN had got Essexes, I suppose they would have operated Phantoms from them too. It worked alright on the similar-sized Ark Royal and the Sea Vixens were beginning to show their age already.
Yup, that was one of my prime sources for the AH deal. Had to be well sourced, being a school project and all. ![[lol]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lol2v12_4863.png "[lol]"){kind=small}
Nemesis
It strikes me that British defense procurement since the 1960s has been a truly amazing string of incompetence and screwing around — certainly worse than the US one (though perhaps only because the US has more money to play with, or adding to that the greater overall degree of political support the US military enjoys in a bi-partisan way).
A brighter future for a darker age.
rollin' on dubs
"WASHINGTON — In what is being billed as its biggest and most complex test to date, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), supported by all three military services, simultaneously engaged five missile targets and destroyed three of them over the Pacific Ocean, the MDA said Oct. 25. "
"The interceptors launched at the targets were the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), Patriot Advanced Capability 3, and Standard Missile 2 and Standard Missile 3 systems, the MDA said."
That is so awesome. Glad to see my boys and the THAAD crew get some. And yes the Navy too.*
edited 28th Oct '12 7:49:05 PM by TairaMai
All night at the computer, cuz people ain't that great. I keep to myself so I won't be a case on The First 48
Too many Labour governments that hated the military, and too many Tory governments that saw "peace dividends" as an excuse to fuck over the military as well.
Night Clerk of the Apacalypse.
Taira; Interesting test run with some realistic results. 3 out of 5 is still pretty good.
Who watches the watchmen?
V
Where Did Airlines Move Aircraft Ahead Of Sandy?: Just a thread I've spotted. Apparently diverted aircraft are even in LAX*. There are certainly a/c in Heathrow and Gatwick which haven't gone to New York.
edited 29th Oct '12 11:36:35 AM by Greenmantle
Keep Rolling On
Sneering Imperialist
My parents flew back from Texas at the weekend. My dad says it was the worst turbulence he'd ever endured.
With cannon shot and gun blast smash the alien. With laser beam and searing plasma scatter the alien to the stars.
'80s TV Action Hero
Aw, yeah. Being deposited on some remote, windswept hilltop by a Whistling Drumstick is an experience everyone ought to have at least once.
'All he needs is for somebody to throw handgrenades at him for the rest of his life...'
Night Clerk of the Apacalypse.
This was awesome.
Dreams of Revenge
Yeah, that was pretty cool (did the Spitfire have its' spinner shot off or something?), but I'm not so sure I like the SUDDENLY ZOMBIES (or whatever the heck they were) part.
Locking you up on radar since '09
Night Clerk of the Apacalypse.
The embodiment of rage, anger, revenge, violence, and hatred.
Who watches the watchmen?
I wrote an alt-history like that once... only that there were two newer, more modern carriers. And Argentina attacked anyway.
Point is, Phantoms and Buccaneers rocking the show.
A different shape every step I take A different mind every step of the line