Flying Chinese aircraft carrier or...

[Banquo's Ghost]

What's this (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/16/flying_aircraft_carrier/) all about then?

I invite the finest military minds in the Org to explain the oddity that is the Flying Chinese Carrier.

(You need to follow the link as the photos are the topic :bounce:)

[Gregoshi]

BG, where do you find these strange articles? :laugh4:

It doesn't necessarily need to fly as long as it can navigate very narrow and very shallow waterways. Maybe it is made of some super light and elastic material so it can sqeeeeze down that small stream feeding the lake.

[Don Corleone]

It's probably a museum. Many decommissioned US warships wind up as museums, some not even on ocean-linked bodies of water. It could have been dry docked, loaded onto freight cars, and hauled over to the lake. Or, it could be constructed in the lake itself, to give tourists an idea of what an aircraft carrier would be like.

Hover propulsion has been around since the 1950s (just check the ad section of any issue of Boy's Life). But the size of the aircraft, and the complicated balancing algorithms required to move and balance the aircraft carrier makes strongly suspect that this something other than what the Register is claiming.

[yesdachi]

SHIELD has one (http://www.artofjohnbyrne.com/computermodels/images/helicarrier.jpg). ~D

[Kralizec]

China ftw!

[Ronin]

SHIELD has one (http://www.artofjohnbyrne.com/computermodels/images/helicarrier.jpg). ~D


yeah but wolverine destroyed it a while back...

a small furry guy with claws...not that is the ultimate weapon!

[drone]

It might be a mockup, test facility, or training facility for a carrier currently in design. It would be easy to copy the Nimitz basic structure, but they would need to test catapults, elevators, plane placement/refueling/arming, and all kinds of other operations. Do the Chinese have any currently operating carriers? The may lack the general knowledge and experience with modern carriers, and are using this to get a feel for what is needed for developing their own.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

It's not a boat, it's a building.

http://www.bobhenneman.info/china.htm

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I'm boring, so I vote for doctored photo.

Here's a picture of a flying carrier (no longer in service):

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/ac-usn22/z-types/zrs5-m.htm

It is, of course, a US Navy ship:beam:

[macsen rufus]

10/10 to Sasaki for research....

but 6 hours detention for ruining the speculation with the truth :laugh4:

[Ronin]

It's not a boat, it's a building.

http://www.bobhenneman.info/china.htm
cool...


I bet the arquitect got a nice pat on the back for making the US photo satellite interpretation guys throw a hissy fit :laugh4:

[Oaty]

Imagine the CIA's reaction when one of there spy stellites first spotted it.

What really got my attention, is why would the chinese build a building that was a close replica of a US carrier.

Alsp noric that there is a canal nearby, Quite a good place for building, testing and when its ready modify the canal and build a lock to the lake,

[Shahed]

WOW ! Incredibly good reproduction of a Nimitz. Of course, Chinese aircraft on it. LOL! The first article was hilarious.

[spmetla]

Why build an aircraft carrier like building? A monument to something you don't yet have seems a bit weird.

I bet that first CIA operative thought he was guaranteed a promotion until they confirm his nuclear carrier as a fancy building.

Edit:

Looking into their actual ambitions they are planning for carriers: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/cv.htm

Also seems that they bought the Russian Kiev class carrier and also turned it into a museum.