WWII Aircraft Carrier Question

[MJHerman]

I've seen a number of references to early U.S. carriers having a "hangar deck catapult" (primarily the Sara and Lex), but I also just found a reference to the initial Essex class having the same thing.

I know this 3rd catapult was rarely, if ever, used, but I can never figure out the physics of a hangar deck catapult...how was it aligned in the hangar deck?  Presumably it would launch an aircraft off to the side of the carrier since the front of the hangar deck (at least in Sara and Lex) would have had a bulkhead.

Any information would be appreciated.

[Sikboy]

I'm pretty sure there were large doors towards the bow of the ship which would allow planes to be launched forward.

I'll see if I can find a picture.

-Sik

[HoHun]

Hi MJHerman,

>I know this 3rd catapult was rarely, if ever, used, but I can never figure out the physics of a hangar deck catapult...how was it aligned in the hangar deck?  

Athwarts :-)

In case I confused the nautical term: It launched the planes horizontally at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the ship.

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

[MJHerman]

Originally posted by HoHun
Hi MJHerman,

>I know this 3rd catapult was rarely, if ever, used, but I can never figure out the physics of a hangar deck catapult...how was it aligned in the hangar deck?  

Athwarts :-)

In case I confused the nautical term: It launched the planes horizontally at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the ship.

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

I can't imagine that being too comfortable for the valiant Naval Aviators.  Even disregarding any wind over the deck, if the Flattop was making any speed at all, our valiant Naval Aviator would have been immediately hit with a sudden "cross wind" once he cleared the hangar doors.

[MiloMorai]

Would that be much different than what would happen to an a/c launched from say the mid-ship location on a cruiser?

[Jose Gallegos]

I have a picutre of  a F6f Hellcat being catapulted from the hanger deck of a carrier.  As the picture shows, it was catapulted at a right angle from the length of the carrier.  If anyone is interested in the picture, e mail me and I'll send it to you in jpeg format.

[HoHun]

Hi Mjherman,

>Even disregarding any wind over the deck, if the Flattop was making any speed at all, our valiant Naval Aviator would have been immediately hit with a sudden "cross wind" once he cleared the hangar doors.

Well, it wasn't one of naval aviation's better ideas for sure :-) I've been told these catapults were seldom used and later removed.

I guess the advantage was supposed to be the capability to launch aircraft without running into the wind. Probably with a lighter load than usual, but still ...

Maybe a carry-over from the times when an aircraft carrier was considered an appendix to a fleet of artillery-carrying ships that didn't like to alter course for no good reason ;-)

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

[MJHerman]

Thanks to all who responded.  I still can't imagine how you would make it workable with a hangar crammed with aircraft, but far be it for me to second guess the naval architects of the day.

I am still surprised that it was also originally part of the equipment of the first few Essex class (at least according to my sources).

[Rasker]

Btw, were Essex class carriers given the enclosed ("hurricane", what we now consider the stanrdard aircraft carrier) bow from day 1, or did that come with later refits?  If not, anyone have pics of them with old style bow?

[Rasker]

hmm I guess not; looks like a gun tub on the bow.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h97000/h97468.jpg

[MJHerman]

Originally posted by Rasker
Btw, were Essex class carriers given the enclosed ("hurricane", what we now consider the stanrdard aircraft carrier) bow from day 1, or did that come with later refits?  If not, anyone have pics of them with old style bow?

If I recall correctly, there were two "series" of Essex class.  The first few were "short hull" and didn't have the Quad 40mm on the bow.  The rest were "long hull" (about 16 feet longer I believe) and were built with the Quad 40mm on the bow.  As constructed, neither subclass had hurricane bows, which were only added post war during the first series of SCB refits.

The hurricane bow was originally prompted by the damage suffered by Hornet (I think) during a typhoon in 1945.

[Rasker]

Right you are.  

from http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/usnshtp/cv/cv14cl.htm


Throughout the very large program to build Essex class aircraft carriers, modifications were constantly made. The number of 40mm and 20mm anti-aircraft machine guns was greatly increased, new and improved radars were added, the original hangar deck catapult installation was deleted, the ventillation system was massively revised, details of protection were altered and hundreds of other large and small changes were executed. In fact, to the skilled observer, no two ships of the class looked exactly the same.

Beginning in March 1943, one visually very significant change was authorized for ships then in the early stages of construction. This involved reshaping the bow into a rather elegant "clipper" form to provide deck space for two 40mm quadruple gun mountings, thus greatly improving forward air defences. Thirteen ships were completed to this "long-hull", or Ticonderoga, class. Four of these were finished in 1944, in time to join their Essex class near-sisters in Pacific combat operations. The rest went into commission between early 1945 and late 1946.

[MJHerman]

Oddly enough, my 1:700 model of Yorktown (CV-10) only has one quad 40mm on the bow...not two.  I wonder if that was the way all short hull Essex were refitted.

[MiloMorai]

The lengthened hull ships had a flight deck that was reduced 11ft. forward and 7ft aft.

The HIVA catapult was located just aft of the forward elevator.

It was removed during the March-June 1944 refit and another deck catapult (HIVB) added (starboard side), > Intrepid.

ref. Anatomy of the Ship - Intrepid

[brady]

Thats a cool book, I have it btw:), and a couple others in that series.