CV-18 Fujian/003 CATOBAR carrier thread

[ACuriousPLAFan]

Not sure if this is new ??

View attachment 108587

Have the work sheds covering the catapults been removed?

 

[DaTang cavalry]

It seems that some gray rectangular plate is being hoisted on the ship's deck.

 

[lcloo]

The dark gray object is the catapult weather housing. Because the photo is not sharp clear, the outline of each individual housing cannot be distinguished. Also, the telephoto lens effect render it showing disproportionate sizes of the catapult housing .

The crane barges could be several hundred meters away from the stern of 003, in the river shipping lanes rather than in the fitting out basin, again due to telephoto lens effect.

 

[Deino]

The dark gray object is the catapult weather housing. Because the photo is not sharp clear, the outline of each individual housing cannot be distinguished. Also, the telephoto lens effect render it showing disproportionate sizes of the catapult housing .

The crane barges could be several hundred meters away from the stern of 003, in the river shipping lanes rather than in the fitting out basin, again due to telephoto lens effect.
View attachment 108590

This one explains a bit better that huge "grey" area in the background:

 

[by78]

One more image update.

 

[no_name]

Housing seems not completely closed and there is a line opening down the middle, possible aligned with the cat tracks. Could there be a reason for it.

 

[Blitzo]

Housing seems not completely closed and there is a line opening down the middle, possible aligned with the cat tracks. Could there be a reason for it.

If you're talking about the covers over the catapults, of course they're fully closed.

We had fairly good quality pictures of it when the ship was launched last year showing that the roofs are obviously fully sealed.
Leaving them partly open would defeat one of the major reasons of having a cover (protection from the elements).



What you are seeing is just some differences in external colour along the spine of the cover.

 

[no_name]

Gosh of course, feel so stupid now.

 

[Deino]

Another hint towards a first sea trial ... Daguan class barracks ship no. 89 (?) was moved into the outfitting wharf berth of the Jiangnan Shipyard sitting now just behind the Type 003 aircraft carrier "Fujian".

 

[snake65]

Deino, do you remember how long did it take for Shandong to start sae trials after the barrack ship showed up? 6 months?