National Security

Just In Time For The Holidays!

By Mark Thompson | @MarkThompson_DC | November 29, 2010 | +

The once-Great British navy has put the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible up for sale on an eBay-like website. It’s a sad end for a proud 690-foot warship that sailed Her Majesty’s seas from 1980 to 2005, and took part in the Falklands, Balkans and Iraq campaigns. Its crew of more than 1,000 piloted the ship’s two-dozen aircraft up to 7,000 nautical miles from home. It steamed at speeds topping out at 28 knots, thanks to its four Rolls-Royce turbine engines (sorry — they’ve already been removed to power other ships in the fleet).

The HMS Invincible

The Brits hope to pocket about $1.5 million by selling her, largely for scrap metal. It’s funny seeing something like this on an auction website. You can check for “comparisons,” add it to your “wish list” or put it — all 10,000 tons of its “mild steel” — into your “cart.” Better yet: it’s “In stock.” But you have to hurry — it’s up for inspection by Admiral Lord Nelson-wannabes beginning today, but only through December 10.

Related Topics: aircraft carrier, british navy, National Security

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  • sacredh

    My wife would kill me if I brought something that big home. She’s still p!ssed off over the 4′ tall voodoo mask I bought at a yard sale. Maybe I could hide the ship in the garage. She never looks in there.

  • squirmz

    Can it pull a skiier? Or could I use it for fishing?

  • sacredh

    If you use it for bass fishing, get a heavy duty trolling motor. It looks heavy.

  • deconstructiva

    Once great British navy? Well, Bond did need help to defeat SPECTRE frogmen…
    .

    .
    (well, if we can drum up Mideast wars to keep MIC profitable maybe they can go back to the Faulklands, but I digress)

  • deconstructiva

    I’ll place a bid if Kate Winslet is tossed in…
    .

    .
    …maybe we get to draw a picture of her too?

  • centfan

    It’s not worth anything unless it comes in the original box.

  • nflfoghorn

    Antiques Seashow?

  • michaelfury
  • http://erieangel.wordpress.com erieangel

    A friend commented about the frat parties that could take place on that thing!! Go college boys!!

  • deconstructiva

    Parties can use this too (since Four Loko is off the market)…
    http://healthland.time.com/2010/11/29/alcoholic-whipped-cream-another-binge-drink-in-a-can/
    …too bad Pickert didn’t write this post. I wonder if she likes this stuff or not.

  • kbanginmotown

    That little ski-junp-thingy in front looks like it’d be a lotta fun!

  • deconstructiva

    kbang, hopefully your holiday / Black Friday went well. That ramp thingy on the boat would be highly useful. Too bad Evel Knievel is still dead, RIP. He could’ve tried to clear a world record for # of Somalian “fishing boats” jumped.

  • apr2563

    http://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/megayachts/john-wayne-megayacht-wild-goose/
    .
    In the early 70s John Wayne brought his retrofitted minesweeper, the Wild Goose, into Westport, Wa to have some work done by the local shipyard. Of course, there was quite a stir. He came ashore to arrange to have land phones installed temporarily.
    .
    I was too cool to want to go see a Republican icon. However, my kid’s babysitter wanted to go to the docks to take a look. I “reluctantly” drove her there.
    Wow, what a boat.
    .
    Wayne was around our sparsely populated area for several days. He was actually quite nice. And, I did love the Quiet Man and The Searchers, etc.

  • abdullah69

    What a hoot it would be if GE could persuade the Cubans to buy it.

  • herby002

    LOL

  • herby002

    And accept payment in what, sugarcane?

  • herby002

    Gee, they really get into that “Cyber Monday” stuff, don’t they?

  • abdullah69

    Given the American abhorrence for obesity there is no way that GE could buy the sugar off the UK government for a knockdown price and then resell it in the US.

  • 11charlie

    You’re gonna need, at the least, an F-550 Diesel to haul that thing.

  • ericc19

    Such a wonderful naval vessel, all it need is a refit. Soon the Rolls Royce turbine engines would be built. This would be a good buy. I like it. Banque Casse.

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