RFAs generally have a major refit and update each 2 or 3 years. Each refit lasting about 3 or 4 months. As the ships are expected to be in a generally good condition this frequency probably explains their longevity. I have had a few e-mails complaining that this is supposed to be a "model boat" forum, I think that at least an inkling of how ships and their crews worked can help a model maker. So no apologies. The next 2 are about RFAs "Resource" and "Regent". Big ships that were seldom seen by the general public unless the observer was out on Plymouth Sound or up Loch Long. Being ammunition ships they were always kept "a certain distance" from habitation. Never mind that aircraft carriers carried a similar amount of "stuff" and were allowed alongside. To my little mind this was always a rather odd thing, as isolating a major ammunition ship miles from anywhere without any security made it a prime and easy target for any "organisation" that wanted to make some sort of statement. Especially during the IRA years. Designed in the late 1950s and produced in the mid 1960s they were to be part of Harold Wilsons' (and "Tony" Benn) carrier strike force. Is this starting to sound familiar? In the mid 1960s the RFA was so supplied with 3 "Ol" class fuel replenishment ships, 3 new store ships (the Ness class) and the 2 "R" class ammo ships. The RN also took delivery of what was to be the first of many "Bristol" class cruisers, and of course, the "County" class destroyers. I don't know about the subs as they live in a world of their own (until many years later when "Diligence" came onto the scene). The RN also got "Fearless" and "Intrepid" and loads of frigates (Leanders). So we had a pretty big and powerful Navy until Wilson and his lot axed the carrier programme leaving the RN and the RFA orphans without a mother. The new RFAs were a massive departure from the old, although the "new" Tide class were pointing the way forward. "Resource" and "Regent" were very big and very heavy ships. Around 660ft long. The flight decks were higher than that of the old "Ark Royal". For some strange reason that would escape a modern naval architect they were designed to sink in an upright and level posture. Work that one out if you can! The core of the ship(s) was a huge "duct keel". A duct keel is a squre tube, basically. This one (if it were not for the presence of the massive bottom framing) was big enough to drive a car through it. All the hull scantlings were huge. The main deck plating was over 1" thick (compared to modern ones that are 1/2 that thickness). And to allow for easy "run-off" of contaminated water....we are in the "cold-war"....there were no upstands at the deck edges, so the hull always looked a bit scruffy. The original design was meant to look a bit like the Canadian "Protecteur" class, but ours were designed by the RN "Constructors". Can.t leave well enough alone. So instead of having only 3 decks at the back end we finished up with 6, and at the bridge end "they" forgot to design in accommodation for the Radio Officers...which meant another deck amidships. That is why when you look at the eventual pic the sidelights are 2 decks below the bridge...as was the Captains cabin. A wee touch of incompetence here. All this added weight to the original design, which in turn brought in the law of unintended returns. In this case stability. Concrete and all sorts were tried until some bright spark (no pun intended) suggested using 3,000 tons of unused WW2 500lb bombs as ballast. After all, it is an ammunition ship. And so it was done. Another feature of the 2 ships was that they would carry the bulk of the RN supply of "Sea Slug" missiles. You know the one, the thing that was launched from the Meccano contraption on the back end of the "County" class destroyers. To stow these things ( and we must have carried over 50 of them) they had to be carried on their own deck and not in a hold. To this end the top deck between the midships house and the after one was one continuous deck. 400ft? Each "Sea Slug" came in its own tubular cradle that also doubled as a fire main. (THAT guaranteed a lot of peace of mind), and had to be connected to the ships fire main so you can imagine the pipework and hose connections to that lot. When "Sea Slug" was abandoned the space was utilised for the stowage of "Milan" missiles and others of that ilk. All with the warheads pointing outboard....until the "boffins" were told that each missile was aimed directly into a crew members cabin. Oops. In truth, at sea theses 2 ships were very good. Fast, quiet and comfortable. Very easy to handle despite their size and being single screw. Alas. Although the bomb load ballast was effective and had to be retained along came the "Torrey Canyon". Another source of 500lb bombs had to be found, and they were found supposedly fit and well in storage in Malta. So off we went, got the bombs, came home and gave them to the RN and RAF. Older readers will recall that a lot of them were "duff". Such is life. But we were allowed to keep our "ballast" until the Falklands thing came along. Then the bombs were taken away and another sort of ballast put in its place. Not too good. From then on the ship never seemed "quite right" and a certain amount of nervousness set in when bad weather was encountered. I will give you a story of a typical refit on this ship next.