The last view of USS Nimitz (CVN-68) moored in the Solent in 1980 😎 :)

A unique visit to the mighty USS Nimitz moored in Stokes Bay, the Solent.
In September 1980, I was fortunate enough to obtain a pass to get a tour of the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Nimitz [CVN-68] when she was moored out in the Solent. It was a very memorable day! This was in fact my last shot of the day, my parting shot, as we left the mighty Nimitz and re-boarded the boat back to shore :)

In view are Lockheed S-3A Viking 160137 and Grumman F-14A Tomcat '04' serial anyone? Update - 160382 code '206/AJ' of VF-84 'Jolly Rogers' - thanks to Plane Buddy plus one other aircraft stage left :)

And courtesy of Hampshire Airfields - a fantastic online resource - here is the complete complement of aircraft that were on board (aircraft that I photographed in bold):

USS NIMITZ. CVN-68 CVW-8 (AJ)

VF-41 F-14A 160408/100, 160410/101, 160402/102, 160381/104, 161143/106, 160385/107, 160411/110, 160409/111, 160404/112
HANGAR - 160387/105
VF-84 F-14A 160386/200, 160414/201, 160405/202, 160413/203, 160384/204, 160382/206, 160394/212, 161138/221, 161140/222
HANGAR - 161141/223
VA-82 A-7E 158025/300, 159301/301, 157580/302, 157456/305, 158836/306, 159261/313, 157480/314, 156822/315
HANGAR - 159303/303, 157493/311
VA-86 A-7E 159306/401, 158820/402, 159308/403, 156820/404, 157573/406, 158662/410, 157510/412, 158825/413
HANGAR - 159292/400, 159263/405
VA-35 A-6E 155615/500, 160996/501, 155684/502, 157026/503, 155703/505, 157002/510, 157010/511
HANGAR - 155718/504, 155712/506
VA-35 KA-6D 151783/522, 154133/523
HANGAR - 155691/520, 149942/521
VS-24 S-3A160137/700, 160138/701, 159769/702, 159763/703, 160150/706, 159731/707, 160147/711
HANGAR - 159734/704, 159741/705, 159743/712
HS-9 SH-3G 152132/730, 149898/731, 148999/732, 149717/735, 148995/736
HANGAR - 149735/734
HS-1 (AR) SH-3A 148046/728
HANGAR - 148970/724
VAW-124 E-2C 161094/011, 159498/012, 158644/013
HANGAR - 160418/010

Total complement - 75 aircraft

USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, and the lead ship of her class. One of the largest warships in the world, she was laid down, launched, and commissioned as CVAN-68, "aircraft carrier, attack, nuclear powered", but she was later redesignated as CVN-68, "aircraft carrier, multi-mission, nuclear-powered", on 30 June 1975, as part of a fleet-wide realignment that year.

The ship was named after World War II Pacific fleet commander Chester W. Nimitz, USN, (1885–1966), who was the Navy's third fleet admiral. Nimitz had her homeport at Naval Station Norfolk until 1987, when she was relocated to Naval Station Bremerton in Washington (now part of Naval Base Kitsap). Following her Refueling and Complex Overhaul in 2001, her home port was changed to Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego County, California. The home port of Nimitz was again moved to Naval Station Everett in Washington in 2012.

In January 2015, Nimitz changed home port from Everett back to Naval Base Kitsap. With the inactivation of USS Enterprise in 2012 and decommissioning in 2017, Nimitz is now the oldest U.S. aircraft carrier in service, and the oldest serving aircraft carrier in the world. More on USS Nimitz here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Nimitz

Taken with a Soviet made Zenith E camera and standard lens. From an original slide, scanned and unrestored.

You can see a random selection of my aviation memories here: www.flickriver.com/photos/heathrowjunkie/random/

Taken in: UK / England / Nettlestone and Seaview (show map)

Taken on: September 25, 1980

Tags:

Military

Ship

Aircraft Carrier

F14

USS Nimitz

US Navy

The Solent

Portsmouth

160137

Grumman

Tomcat

Lockheed

S-3A

160382

Grumman F-14 Tomcat

Stokes Bay « less

Sets appears in: • Aviation Scene 1980 • Military Fighters & Bombers

Groups appears in: • Aircraft • Military Aviation Photography more » • Flickritis: over 87,000 waiting for a vaccine. • Aircraft Spotting • Plane Spotting • 250 views AND 10 faves - quality AND quantity • Planes & Airports • Grumman Aircraft Corporation • Lockheed Aircraft only no aircraft after the 1995 merge,No F-16/ • Cold War Aircraft 1947-1991, No aircraft built after 1991. • **FlickrsBest** • We Love Airplanes • "Exemplary Shots - Flickr's BEST! (Post 1 Award 3)" • **Explore Unexplored!** (10 Favs & No Explored) • *Best of Flickr* (Comment 1 / invite 2) PHOTOS ONLY • Your best photo on Flickr • Military Aircraft • Aviation Photography Group • Pre Digital Aviation • Grumman-F14-Tomcat • All Warbirds. • Aircraft Junkies • ***Flickr Global • Global Ships • Cold War Air Power • Aviation Worldwide • SPOTTER'S AIRPLANE'S WORLD • ALL AVIATION PHOTOS • Zenit Central • Best of the Best on Flickr • AVIATION ♥ PASSION! • World Aviation Pics and Vids • ` FLICKR ´ • Planespotting in Britain • Plane Spotting [around the world] • US Military Aircraft 1914 - Present Day • GLOBAL MILITARY AVIATION • Aviones (Sin limite de grupos) • WorldAviation • Aircraft Addiction • Aviation World • Flickr Social • A V I A T I O N ✈ • The Aviation Group (No 30/60 limit) • Planespotter (No 30/60 limit) • Plane-Spotting • ALL JET AIRCRAFT ✈ • Plane in a Frame (unlimited upload) • world military aviation • Aircraft faded glory • #1 The Aviation reference group • *** Aviation (No 30/60 Limit) *** • Aces in the sky • SpottingLog - Aviation Photography • Lockheed Martin # Aircraft • All Series [No 30/60] • The best photographs from around the world. • Old Aircraft, Old Planes (No 30/60 limit) • Grumman Cats • Military only, Warbirds Old and New (No 30/60 limit) military pl • Northrop Grumman # Aircraft • All Series [No30/60] • Air Flickr or Flickr Flight (No 30/60 Restriction) « less

Stats: 5,490 views / 9 comments