VIDEO: Carrier trials of SEPECAT Jaguar M on FS Clemenceau (July 1970)

Carrier trails of the SEPECAT Jaguar “M” prototype aboard the French aircraft carrier Clemenceau in July 1970.

From Wikipedia:

An “M” prototype flew in November 1969. The “M” had a strengthened airframe, an arrestor hook and different undercarriage: twin nosewheel and single mainwheels. After testing in France it went to RAE at Thurleigh for carrier landing trials from their land based catapult. In July 1970 it made real take offs and landings from the French carrier Clemenceau. From these trials there were doubts about the throttle response in case of an aborted landing; the shipboard testing has also revealed problems with the aircraft’s handling when flying on one engine, although planned engine improvements were to have rectified these problems. The “M” was considered a suitable replacement for the Etendard IV but the Aeronavale would only be able to purchase 60 instead of 100 aircraft.

Furthermore, the Jaguar M was expensive, limiting the size of the force the French Navy could afford. In 1971, Dassault proposed the Super Étendard, claiming that it was a simpler and cheap development of the existing Étendard IV, and in 1973, the French Navy agreed to order it instead of the Jaguar, although rising costs of the Super Étendard meant that only 71 of the planned 100 aircraft were purchased. The M was cancelled by the French government in 1973.

VIDEO: Sea Cat (1963)

A short newsreel from British Pathé.

Marry this with an archived 1963 edition of Flight International highlighting the new missile system.

Piracy & Maritime Security Incidents to 8th January 2014

It appears to be quiet off the coast of East Africa at the beginning of 2014, but not so much in Indonesia nor the West African littoral.

On 2 January, five pirates boarded a drifting gas carrier 55-nm west of Corsico in the Gulf of Guinea. The crew raised the alarm and the pirates fled. The master reported that there were several small craft without AIS in the vicinity.

On 3 January, pirates boarded the general cargo vessel San Miguel and kidnapped 3 crew members 20-miles NW of Bata, Equatorial Guinea.

On 3 January, armed robbers boarded an anchored chemical tanker in Belawan Anchorage, Indonesia while it was conducting loading operations. They took hostage the duty crewman then broke into the forecastle store room and stole ship’s property and escaped.

On 4-5 January, the Ukrainian captain and Greek engineer who were kidnapped by Nigerian pirates from the tanker Althea on 16 December 2013 were released.

On 6 January, robbers boarded an anchored chemical tanker in Belawan Outer Anchorage, Indonesia. The crew spotted the robbers and raised the alarm, whereupon the robbers fled in their small craft without stealing anything. The master alerted other ships in the vicinity via bridge-to-bridge radio.

On 7 January, armed robbers boarded a berthed container ship off Doula Port, Cameroon. The duty crewman noticed suspicious movements at the forecastle & informed the duty officer who raised the alarm. Seeing the crew response, the robbers escaped in a small craft.

On 7 January, robbers boarded an anchored chemical tanker in Gresik Inner Anchorage, Indonesia. They threatened the duty watch keeper & stole ship’s stores. The robbers fled when other crew members raised the alarm.

On 8 January, robbers boarded a berthed general cargo ship at Monrovia Port, Liberia. After hearing some noise, the duty watchman noticed a robber throwing ship’s properties overboard. Upon seeing the crew response, the robber jumped overboard and escaped. The master informed local authorities who sent a port security patrol to investigate. Port security personnel helped recover some of the stolen ship’s property that was adrift near the stern of the ship.

Source: United States Navy, Office of Naval Intelligence.

Royal Navy Films (YouTube channel)

Please visit the Royal Navy Films YouTube channel. It is a collection of Royal Navy instructional films, documentaries, recruitment ads, and miscellaneous bits & pieces.

Here is a sample: Action Navy (1975), Launch & Recover (1960), and Sam Pepys Joins the Navy (1941). There are more at the YouTube channel.

2nd January 1793 “The Childers Incident” first shot of the French Revolutionary War

HMS Childers. Painting in collection of National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

“January 2nd 1795. Thetis, Cleopatra and Thisbe at anchor in Lynhaven Bay at the mount of the Chesapeake.”

“January 2nd 1795. Thetis, Cleopatra and Thisbe at anchor in Lynhaven Bay at the mount of the Chesapeake.” by George Tobin. In collection of National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

“Operation Principle, Palermo, January 1943”

“Operation Principle, Palermo, January 1943” by Johne Makin. Painting in collection of Royal Navy Submarine Museum.

“End of the Action between HMS Magicienne and La Sibylle, 2 January 1783”

“End of the Action between HMS Magicienne and La Sibylle, 2 January 1783” by Robert Dodd. Painting in collection of National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

Royal Navy battleship HMS Formidable sunk by German U-boat on 1 January 1915

HMS Formidable named and launched at Portsmouth 1898. The battleship served in the Royal Navy until 1915 when she was torpedoed and sunk by the German U-boat U.24 in the English Channel. Print in collection of National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

Casualty and survivor lists courtesy of the incomparable naval-history.net.

‘General Chart of Terra Australis or Australia’ by Cdr Matthew Flinders, HMS Investigator, 1798-1803

‘General Chart of Terra Australis or Australia’ by Cdr Matthew Flinders, HMS Investigator, 1798-1803. In collection of National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.