C-130 on Navy Carrier

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 19:03:10 +0100, Rob van Riel
postulated :

As I recal that was a publicity stunt to demonstrate the raw power of the
catapults. A model T Ford that spent all of a mile in the air, wasn't it?

When I was in a Navy airgroup (CVG-6 in the Fifties), it was standard
procedure to launch a concrete filled "wagon" off the cats after a
carrier left Portsmouth , VA yards to test the cats. The weight was
supposed to simulate an aircraft of the time. Difficult to plot the
trajectory from the flight deck but they went "way" out before arcing
down to the water. I would think that a Model T would disintegrate
with the forces applied from a steam catapult.

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 13:16:07 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 19:03:10 +0100, Rob van Riel
postulated :

As I recal that was a publicity stunt to demonstrate the raw power of the
catapults. A model T Ford that spent all of a mile in the air, wasn't it?

When I was in a Navy airgroup (CVG-6 in the Fifties), it was standard
procedure to launch a concrete filled "wagon" off the cats after a
carrier left Portsmouth , VA yards to test the cats. The weight was
supposed to simulate an aircraft of the time. Difficult to plot the
trajectory from the flight deck but they went "way" out before arcing
down to the water.

Taking this way beyond reasonable speculation, has anyone else ever
wondered about the effects a missile like this might have on another ship,
as an emergency weapon :-)


I would think that a Model T would disintegrate
with the forces applied from a steam catapult.

Most likely. I figured they must have put the poor thing on a purpose
built sled or something. Then again, maybe it was just an item of roughly
the same mass as a T Ford, or maybe the whole thing is an urban legend.

The same would hold for any other car strapped to the cat; I doubt it
would be recognisable as a car the instant the cat fired.

Rob

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 19:46:58 +0100, Rob van Riel
postulated :

The same would hold for any other car strapped to the cat; I doubt it
would be recognisable as a car the instant the cat fired.

I've seen some like that right out of the showroom...

Greasy Rider© @invalid.com wrote:

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 19:46:58 +0100, Rob van Riel
postulated :

The same would hold for any other car strapped to the cat; I doubt it
would be recognisable as a car the instant the cat fired.

I've seen some like that right out of the showroom...

I've -owned- some that I'd like to do that to...
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)

Rob van Riel wrote:


Taking this way beyond reasonable speculation, has anyone else ever
wondered about the effects a missile like this might have on another ship,
as an emergency weapon :-)



Be fun to hear some Navy Dept. Admiral talking to the ship
damaged by the model T wouldn't it?...

"...Your ship was damaged BY A -WHAT- Captain??..."
choke
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)

Rob van Riel wrote in
news
On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 13:16:07 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 19:03:10 +0100, Rob van Riel
postulated :

As I recal that was a publicity stunt to demonstrate the raw power of
the catapults. A model T Ford that spent all of a mile in the air,
wasn't it?

When I was in a Navy airgroup (CVG-6 in the Fifties), it was standard
procedure to launch a concrete filled "wagon" off the cats after a
carrier left Portsmouth , VA yards to test the cats. The weight was
supposed to simulate an aircraft of the time. Difficult to plot the
trajectory from the flight deck but they went "way" out before arcing
down to the water.

Taking this way beyond reasonable speculation, has anyone else ever
wondered about the effects a missile like this might have on another
ship, as an emergency weapon :-)

Given that your projectile is fired from a level flight deck and heads
for the water immediately, this would be an inconsequential "weapon". The
cat end speed necessary for the projectile to go a mile is over 1200 kt.

I would think that a Model T would disintegrate
with the forces applied from a steam catapult.

Most likely. I figured they must have put the poor thing on a purpose
built sled or something. Then again, maybe it was just an item of
roughly the same mass as a T Ford, or maybe the whole thing is an
urban legend.

The same would hold for any other car strapped to the cat; I doubt it
would be recognisable as a car the instant the cat fired.

Nope. Both pix I have seen of cars getting fired show a clearly
recognizable car going off the bow.

Just found this one - a Falcon going off the "E":

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/824812/posts

Dave in San Diego

With a hydraulic cat, maybe.
With a steam cat, no.

Greasy Rider© @invalid.com wrote in message
...
On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 19:03:10 +0100, Rob van Riel
postulated :

As I recal that was a publicity stunt to demonstrate the raw power of the
catapults. A model T Ford that spent all of a mile in the air, wasn't it?

When I was in a Navy airgroup (CVG-6 in the Fifties), it was standard
procedure to launch a concrete filled "wagon" off the cats after a
carrier left Portsmouth , VA yards to test the cats. The weight was
supposed to simulate an aircraft of the time. Difficult to plot the
trajectory from the flight deck but they went "way" out before arcing
down to the water. I would think that a Model T would disintegrate
with the forces applied from a steam catapult.

Greasy Rider© @invalid.com wrote in message
...
On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 19:03:10 +0100, Rob van Riel
postulated :

As I recal that was a publicity stunt to demonstrate the raw power of the
catapults. A model T Ford that spent all of a mile in the air, wasn't it?

When I was in a Navy airgroup (CVG-6 in the Fifties), it was standard
procedure to launch a concrete filled "wagon" off the cats after a
carrier left Portsmouth , VA yards to test the cats. The weight was
supposed to simulate an aircraft of the time. Difficult to plot the
trajectory from the flight deck but they went "way" out before arcing
down to the water. I would think that a Model T would disintegrate
with the forces applied from a steam catapult.

In the UK there is a programme called Top Gear which launched an old Jaguar
off the Ski Jump of one of the RN Carriers, I forget which. I'll Have a look
and find out though.

--

Richard Battle

I'm running the 2005 Flora London Marathon for CLIMB (Children Living with
Inherited MetaBolic diseases).
Please sponsor me by clicking the link below.

http://www.justgiving.com/battle

"P

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 19:03:10 +0100, Rob van Riel
postulated :

As I recal that was a publicity stunt to demonstrate the raw power of
the catapults. A model T Ford that spent all of a mile in the air,
wasn't it?



When the car launch photo appeared on the net, this post came soon after
it..

================================================== =========================

Subject: Slow day on the Carrier slow day.jpg [1/3]
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 07:55:49 GMT
From: "Mike Henley"
Organization: RoadRunner - West
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.pictures.aviation

"Quokka" wrote in message
.. .
I am not too sure what carrier this is, or what the reason was, but it
must
get pretty boring onboard a carrier sometimes...
----------------------------------------------

This was the USS Enterprise returning from our 1978 WestPac cruise. Most
squadrons in the airwing have a "staff car" to drive the squadron members
to the Navy Exchange, club, front gate, or back to the pier. At the end of
the cruise the squadron sells the car to another squadron on the carrier
coming over. This car was beyond repair. the squadron CO got permission
from the ships CO to load the car aboard before we left the Philippines and
returned home. Tickets were sold to raise money for the Combined Federal
Campaign Fund. The winning ticket got to be the "cat officer" and launch
the car. On a no-fly day everyone gathered on the flight deck to see how
far the car would go (it had a VERY POOR glide ratio). I didn't have the
winning ticket, and was standing to the left of the tractor, just outside
the left of the picture. As I recall, it was responsible for a large
donation to the CFC Fund.

Mike
================================================== =========================
==