Merlin first to land on Royal Navy's biggest warship

HMS Elizabeth's flight deck is four acres long

A Merlin helicopter has become the first aircraft to land on the Royal Navy's newest and biggest warship. HMS Elizabeth will be based in Portsmouth when her sea trials in the North Sea are complete. The carrier's flight deck measures four acres - the size of three football pitches.

The aircraft carrier left the ship yard where she was built - in Rosyth, Scotland, a few days ago.

The team who guided the helicopter in were trained at locations across the globe in order to be ready to take in the new ship's first flight. Commander Mark Deller is in charge of HMS Elizabeth's flying operations.

An experienced team of aircraft handlers tied the helicopter down after guiding it in Credit: MoD

The pilot who landed the first aircraft on the flight deck was 26-year-old Lieutenant Luke Wraith, of 820 Naval Air Squadron. He was thrilled to be making history.

However, Lt Wraith was not alone in the aircraft - there were four others on board, including his squadron's senior pilot Lt Cdr Steve Moseley - , a graduate of the US Navy's Test Pilot School; observer Lt Chris Bugg; and aircrew men Petty Officers Nigel Stockdale and Jonathan Holding.

The Merlin helicopter weighs 14 tonnes

The 820 squadron's Commanding Officer Cdr Jon Holroyd said he was proud of his team: