HMS Queen Elizabeth is seen with HMS Sutherland and HMS Iron Duke. The aircraft carrier proudly hit the waters earlier this week - but currently its crew only has replica planes to practise with
Daily Mail: It's a BAREcraft carrier! UK's new £3.1bn warship dubbed Big Lizzie heads to the North Sea for six weeks of testing with empty decks and NO planes to transport
* Replicas of the F-35 Lightning II jets were delivered to RNAS Culdroe so crews can practise pushing them
* Despite their convincing appearances the models at the Cornwall base lack engines, sensors or weapons
* But naval personnel will get used to moving bigger, heavier aircraft than they ever have done before
* HMS Queen Elizabeth - Britain's biggest-ever warship - was deployed in Firth, Scotland, earlier this week
The £3.1billion HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier was today photographed making its way to the North Sea - with no planes on board.
Instead, life-size models of the F-35 Lightning II jets will be pushed around tarmac at Cornwall's RNAS Culdrose so flight deck teams can get a feel for the world's most advanced warplanes.
The real jets will be deployed on the 65,000-tonne vessel - named 'Big Lizzie' - which was put into the sea for the first time in Scotland on Monday.
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WNU Editor: HMS Queen Elizabeth does look impressive on the open sea.
