HMS Prince of Wales takes her bow

From Royal Navy

The forward section of Britain’s biggest future warship is now outwardly complete after engineers successfully attached the final part of HMS Prince of Wales’ bow.

After some exact calculations to get the centre of gravity spot on, the 620-tonne block was raised by the enormous Goliath crane which dominates the north bank of the Forth and then put down on its final position on the front of the ship in the dry dock.

The upper bow has been constructed in four huge sections, all built at the Appledore yard in Devon, then shipped to Rosyth, where Prince of Wales is taking shape in the same enlarged dry dock where her older sister Queen Elizabeth was pieced together.

Lifting the second ship’s upper bow segment into place comes just days after the forward island – home, among some 100 compartments, to the carrier’s bridge – was also fixed into position on the flight deck.

The teams across the Alliance should be proud of their involvement in constructing and assembling blocks on to HMS Prince of Wales.

Angus Holt, Aircraft Alliance

“Seeing the forward island in position on the flight deck marks a highly-visible achievement in the assembly programme. And with her bow now attached she is taking on the appearance of the immensely-powerful aircraft carrier she will be when she enters service,” said Angus Holt in charge of building Prince of Wales for the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, the consortium of industry and defence formed to create the two ships.

“The teams across the Alliance should be proud of their involvement in constructing and assembling blocks on to HMS Prince of Wales.”

Images by Drew Farrell, BAE