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Narrowboat aircraft carrier

Only the brave …
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A standard narrowboat is about 20 metres long.

The USS Nimitz is about 300 metres long.

The ratio is therefore 15:1.

A 1:15 scale F-18 Hornet is about a metre long.

So if a 20 metre narrowboat were equipped with a through-deck, arrestor wires and a "steam" (probably compressed air, for convenience) catapult, radio controlled model aircraft could fly off and land on it*.

*Original text: "it could fly off and land on radio controlled model aircraft.", modified because of alleged ambiguity and repeated pestering by small minded pettifogging pedantic grumblers.

Could have been changed to "it could fly off, and land on, radio controlled model aircraft" but that probably wouldn't have satisfied the nit-pickers.

Everyone's a critic ...

8th of 7, Sep 13 2014

wick http://en.wikipedia...Nimitz_%28CVN-68%29
nimitz 332.8 m [popbottle, Sep 13 2014]

Canals without land on either side http://weburbanist....avigable-aqueducts/
[pocmloc, Sep 13 2014]

Canals under the oceans http://en.wikipedia..._Sea_undersea_river
..well, more like channels really [not_morrison_rm, Sep 15 2014]

Narrow boat mounted on top of a model aeroplane ready for takeoff http://www.dorcasla...dorcas-drydock2.jpg
If you look really carefully, you can see the model plane beneath the third window behind the yellow barriers. [pocmloc, Sep 15 2014]

Shortly after takeoff http://2.bp.blogspo...0/Craning%2B008.jpg
[pocmloc, Sep 15 2014]

Actual launch http://4.bp.blogspo...600/08-DSCF9502.JPG
Steam from the catapult launch is obscuring the model plane in this photo [pocmloc, Sep 15 2014]


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Annotation:







       I think there is an error in your phrasing of that last paragraph (implies the narrowboat could do the flying).   

       Edit: Thank you.
Vernon, Sep 13 2014
  

       Yeah but it's [8th]: there's probably some kids flying model airplanes outside and he can't remember where he put the blunderbuss (the white phosphorous one, not the rock salt or armour piercing ones). So a flying barge would do.
FlyingToaster, Sep 13 2014
  

       I'm pretty certain that takeoff and landing distance do not scale linearly.
pocmloc, Sep 13 2014
  

       Hang on just a moment. The pride of the US Navy is only 20 times longer than a canal boat?
MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 13 2014
  

       15. 6 times faster, and Nimitz just can't compete on charming painted watering cans with flowers in.
bs0u0155, Sep 13 2014
  

       I'm a bit shocked. I mean, no disrespect, but having something 15 times bigger than a canal boat as the star attraction of the navy of the world's largest superpower is just... underwhelming.   

       The Nimitz is also (says Google) only twice as long as Roman Abramocich's personal yacht.   

       I expect the Nimitz has more than 15 times as many guns as a canal boat. Yes, that would be it.
MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 13 2014
  

       Things don't scale that well. The boat would be pushed backwards in the water with some of the momentum from the plane. Furthermore you're talking about two entirely different aircraft. A model airplane won't need 1/15th the speed, nor will it reach the speed it needs in 1/15th the runway.
Voice, Sep 14 2014
  

       //The boat would be pushed backwards in the water with some of the momentum from the plane. //   

       Yes, but the boat will have momentum, and the relative mass of the model is small.   

       // A model airplane won't need 1/15th the speed, //   

       No, considerably more. But the wing loading is much, much lower for a model.   

       // nor will it reach the speed it needs in 1/15th the runway. //   

       Did you read the bit about the catapult launch ? It can be given as much acceleration as the airframe will stand.
8th of 7, Sep 14 2014
  

       I have to admit to a little disappointment, [8th], that you did not opt for scale models of the HMS Furious and the naval version of the Spitfire, the Seafire.
MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 14 2014
  

       [+] It wouldn't be _that_ much trouble to put a kettle on to launch the things (though really you could just use a bunch of rubber bands)   

       and what Vernon said.
FlyingToaster, Sep 14 2014
  

       What [Vernon] said is, with all due respect, utter bollocks.   

       // HMS Furious //   

       We considered HMS Vindictive, but model biplanes fly so slowly as to not require either catapults or arrestor wires. In fact, a real Fairey Swordfish would probably struggle to keep up with an average narrowboat if there was a strong breeze that day.   

       We also considered WW2 options, but the risk of hharming even a model Seafire is so close to blasphemy as to be unacceptable. But you can crash as many SB2C's, Hellcats and Corsairs as you want. …
8th of 7, Sep 14 2014
  

       You don't even have to do anything wrong to harm a Seafire. Normal operations will crumple up that structure in no time.
bs0u0155, Sep 14 2014
  

       "fly off" and "land on" are the correct technical terms used in Naval aviation for the actions of departing from and returning to a carrier flight deck.
8th of 7, Sep 15 2014
  

       I think that, for once, [Vernon] is making sense. His point is that your original phrasing suggests that the narrowboat is doing the flying, and the model aircraft is acting as the runway.
MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 15 2014
  

       He might just be referring to very small barge and 1: 1 and a bit scale model Spruce Goose.
not_morrison_rm, Sep 15 2014
  

       //the narrowboat is doing the flying, and the model aircraft is acting as the runway// I see, indeed, you are saying that that is very sensible idea by [Vernon]'s standards.
pocmloc, Sep 15 2014
  

       It's probably easier to get a narrowboat to fly than you think.
bs0u0155, Sep 15 2014
  

       It is ... but only once.
8th of 7, Sep 15 2014
  

       Typical narrowboat 18 tons, 36,000 lb. Lighter than a F35.
bs0u0155, Sep 15 2014
  


 

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