In the mid 50's, an AD, A1 for the new kids, made a free deck launch off the
Midway while at anchor in the bay off Sangley Point. An other maneuver that
was used as operation pinwheel when going into the dry dock in Yokosuka in
the same era.

Leanne

"W. D. Allen" wrote in message
...
In the late 1950s even when we were moored at the quay in Yokosuka the
SIOP had us being catapulted with full fuel load and shape. Never tried it
for real of course but if the gong had ever been struck we would have
learned quickly that it was definitely possible to catapult aircraft from
a moored carrier. Our concern as pilots was if we could do it and fly
away!

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