Catapult Ships Royal Navy Instructional Film (1940)

[@newmoon54]

Great video ... a salute to our fathers and grandfathers who risked life and limb on a daily basis during ww2, my father and my uncle Sal were sent to the European theater, India, Africa, Egypt, Italy, Germany, France! What courage it took to be on board a destroyer, cruiser, or battleship!!! Un-frikken-believable!!!

[@Sean_Coyne]

Watching the landings reminded me of my father in law, who flew Catalinas in WWII for the RAAF. He bent a few trying to take off or land in rough weather. He's still alive at 94.

[@kevinbaboolal4225]

Is he still alive?

[@Farweasel]

@@kevinbaboolal4225 What sort of twat would go digging for that information?

[@Sean_Coyne]

FlixZone is a scam, stay away. They're running comment bots on KZbin.

[@justforfux]

I have wanted to see a film on ship catapults for a very long time. Thanks for posting.

[@richardlong3745]

It's easy to make smart remarks about the entire process of launching and recovery of seaplanes but these our ancestors were a daring and intelligent bunch of men, God Bless 'em.

[@johnnunn8688]

Humourless you are. Unlike these men in the film, think about that.

[@phillipphil1615]

Hi Richard, I suspect a thorough presentation of current launch procedures is just as complex if not more. Cheers

[@casual_boredom7195]

With the exception of hitler and his gang they really were quite some extraordinary blokes. Of course, still products of their time, but geniuses none the lesser.

[@juniorloaf12]

Who thinks it's easy to make smart remarks about the process of launching and recovering seaplanes?? Lol

[@nosaltadded2530]

Captain...."Prepare to launch the sea plane." "Aye sir. Prepare to launch the the sea plane!" (Two hours later)...."Captain, the sea plane is ready for launch." Messenger enters. "Captain!" "Yes?" "Messege for you sir, from the Admiralty." Message reads "The war is over." Captain, "Belay my last. Unprepare the sea plane for launch." "Aye sir...Unprepare the sea plane for launch!" Captain, "Put the kettle on Mr. Christian." "Put the kettle on aye sir."

[@mrstephenthomas100]

What a complicated exercise from start to finish. Quite outstanding.

[@austincjett]

I'm grateful this video has been saved and shared. It will give great entertainment to all well the trained sailors of today. Once upon a time, only the officers decided how to do things. Now the enlisted doing the job, gets to have a say so about the best way.

[@stogmot1]

priceless bit of aviation history , so good i watched it twice ,wonderful

[@nzsaltflatsracer8054]

The launch process took so long I'm surprised they didn't take a tea break!

[@ohgosh5892]

Yeah, training films are always produced at five times the normal speed, easier to learn that way.

[@Declan-pg8cg]

And that was their rapid response team.

[@DARANGULAFILM]

Although the process was maybe shorter for the swivelling catapults on which the aircraft remained mounted versus the hangared version we see in this clip there would be a serious added workload on the concentration of the chain of command. At the time of the fateful battle between the HMAS Sydney and the disguised raider HSK Kormoran in which the entire crew of the HMAS Sydney was lost, German eyewitnesses suggest the Sydney's seaplane was being deployed then was being recovered as the vessels closed to an unwise short distance. Cpt. Burnett of the HMAS Sydney has been criticised as having been incompetent for approaching so close to within Kormoran's firepower which very nearly matched Sydney's own. Kormoran was masquerading as a Dutch merchantman, the Straat Malacca and its firewpower was hidden. Was there a human factor also involved, that of task saturation? The Kormoran's radio operator was transmitting messages intended to mislead. The vessel was positioned upsun of the Sydney and in a position to confuse regarding flag signals. A decision had been made to launch the seaplane which enables observation from a safe distance. If there were servicability issues with the seaplane or the catapult and an interception going on, the chain of command would have been very busy.

[@wtxrailfan]

WWII pushed aircraft development ahead at least twenty years from where it probably would've been otherwise at the peacetime rate. This video helps prove it. Thanks for uploading.

[@dirtydave2691]

Fascinating. Job well done by these men. May God Bless each of them. The aircraft crewman that rides up on the wing to complete the hook up must have had balls of steel.

[@harryschaefer5887]

Old fashioned nitrate based film used for recon was extremely and explosively flammable, hence the focus on fire fighting equipment.

[@garethgriffiths8577]

I'm amazed by the amount of logistics involved for launching the single walrus and recovery before flat tops

[@ilox11]

Dad was aboard HMAS Australia II from 41 to 46. The Aussie, a Kent class Cruiser, was supplied with a Walrus as their spotter plane as she was the Command ship of the RAN Fleet. Dad recalled (and included some photos) where it was too rough to recover the plane so they got the pilot off and let the plane sink.

[@jackfrost2146]

I saw a video how in WW2, some German U-Boats used to tow a gyrocopter to altitude for observation purposes. At completion, it would be winched back down, folded, and stowed on deck in a special casing. It was pointed out that if the sub had to dive suddenly to avoid attack, the tow cable would be cut and "the pilot would be left to drown in the usual way."

[@markspc1]

Ha-ha-ha !!!

[@rescuepetsrule6842]

Watching planes being catapulted made me think of Wiley Coyote and some of his Acme contraptions- :) Good film-TY.

[@Lockbar]

Amazing film, thank god it was preserved somewhere. Crazy the guy being flung from the observers station onto the plane's tail. A story to tell over and over again during Christmas dinner. "Hey Uncle Bob, tells us how you were thrown out of the airplane again!"

[@EricIrl]

The pilot on that occasion was none other than Frank Whittle, who went on to greater things - like inventing the jet engine.

[@andredegraaf1643]

Agree! Just bought a model of this aircraft just because it is described by Desmond Scott in his Typhoon pilot book. I did not know that this aircraft could be launched like this. Very interesting film.

[@victuff9765]

The ship was built in 1914 here in Blyth, Northumberland as the very first purpose built seaplane/aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. She is seen here as HMS Pegasus as she was renamed in 1934 to release the name Ark Royal for the purpose built flat deck carrier launched that year. She outlived the 'Ark' which was sunk during WW2 eventually being scrapped in 1950...

[@mycroft1905]

Excellent. Thank you for posting. Preparing to scratch build a catapult section and "catapult trolly superstructure" to mount a 1/48 Fairey Swordfish seaplane. The detail shown in this film is very helpful, the launch and recovery evolutions fascinating.

[@MudMantheODD]

All designed using a pencil & paper with a slide rule. Remarkable.

[@john6203]

15:41 is that a bullet hole in the cockpit glass?

[@hackenbush23]

Yeah, explains why there's no co-pilot.

[@ronanstark6218]

Yuh.

[@erikhertzer8434]

...good sign of Enemy in the area...

[@36736fps]

Do not miss the "don't do this" at 27:12. Unlaunched aircraft were such a fire hazard during combat that common practice in the US navy was to catapult them unmanned over the side prior to the start of any battle.

[@dancostello6465]

Yikes pilot position related to massive propeller.

[@Farweasel]

Gotta love the laconic ..... 'and touches down as smoothly as can be expected'. Meanwhile the poor old Walrus careers from wave top to wave top like an amphetamin excited kangaroo.

[@kenlowe3673]

In addition to acting as spotter-planes, walruses were also used for air-sea rescue duties. My late stepfather flew them during breaks from flying hurricanes. I remember him saying that the Walrus was 10% aeroplane, 90% boat and flew accordingly!

[@markstainton9080]

Respect to dad in law. I have heard that they would land (land ?) in seas so rough they couldn't take off again and had to motor back home but had a policy of never leaving an airman in the water (dead or alive, friend or foe I believe).

[@kenlowe3673]

@@markstainton9080 My late stepfather, George Reeder, was awarded the DFC in Oct 1944 for the completion of a very large number of air/sea rescue missions and for saving many aircrew from the sea. I have an account of one of his rescues in Sept 1944 when based at RAF Bradwell Bay. He and his gunner, Sgt Swindell, were sent with Spitfire escort to rescue a pilot who had baled out. When they spotted him, the sea was very rough but nevertheless George decided to 'land' the walrus in the knowledge that the aircraft wouldn't survive. He and his gunner managed to get the survivor into their dinghy, which then sank. They clung to the wreckage of the aircraft, which later also sank. They were all rescued in the nick of time by a R.M.L. They had been in the water for well over an hour. Impossible for us to imagine these days what those guys went through.

[@markstainton9080]

@@kenlowe3673 . I thought putting down when it's too rough to take off again was bad enough but when you know it's going to tear your aircraft apart . They were a special breed.

[@cliffleigh7450]

And by using this procedure as many as 3 planes a day can be launched!

[@t.bunker2511]

After seeing this, it's understandable why during the War the SM Walrus would be flown to dry land, or to the carrier if in a task-group, and transferred back once they reach port. Once patrol aircraft from escort carriers and fleet carriers became available. most cruisers and battleships off-loaded their floatplanes as impractical ...and as vulnerable fire hazards on-deck.

[@mileshigh1321]

Fascinating video! So many details involved! I see why these type of launching's and recoveries where soon discontinued!

[@ben3989]

I love how the sailors stand right in the path of the airplane in prescribed stations to avoid getting hit by pontoons

[@Liberator74]

We had a tour of the Belfast the other day and and cafe is in one of the old hangars! Well worth a visit.

[@mmomsboy]

Now did you get all that? and don't forget to salute!!

[@mikebeeton4982]

And hence a quick launching is achieved !

[@Peter-lm3ic]

For catapulting Walrus aircraft from RN ships there must have been a Manual. There always is and this would be practiced frequently by Ratings already qualified during their basic training in handling aircraft. So, it may look very complicated but don’t forget these men were professionals in their job for which we give them much credit.

[@agwhitaker]

21:38 - So air-crew dude climbs upon the top wing to catch the crane hook and secure it to the his aircraft. If he slips backwards a little bit there is this spinning propeller waiting to turn him into sausage. And this is a pretty smooth sea........

[@margaretpicard6460]

Air Ministry Walrus Manua 17 safety instruction “Before the operator attempts to start the engine he should tie a line round his waist and secure the free end of the line to the eyed fitting provided .... Should he inadvertently slip rearwards during starting operations, the line will prevent him from coming into contact with the airscrew [propeller].”

[@lobosolitario-j4c]

@@margaretpicard6460 The engine is already running during recovery

[@andrewsmactips]

Step 416: Breathe a sigh of relief.

[@nickraschke4737]

Andrew Burke 🤓😂😂

[@artvandelay1099]

Pins and levers! They really, REALLY, wanted to launch planes from ships. To go through this you'd really have to want it badly. Wow.

[@jamesjanssen2378]

I don't know if its true but, I heard a RN ship (WW-2) was later found still trying to launch in-- 1947 !

[@DataWaveTaGo]

R. J. Mitchell, designer of the Walrus was heard to say - "I got the idea for the Walrus design one morning while cutting up a cereal box and taping on a few Tinker Toy struts to make a small sailing craft. Then I thought 'Why don't I add some wings and tail surfaces to make this contraption airborne?'" true story/s

[@steveevans4093]

Just like that. What could possibly go wrong?

[@bruzote]

I bet a few rough-water landings like @27:45 could ruin your vertebral discs.

[@peterclark4685]

Plane designed by R. J. Mitchell who also gave us the Spitfire.

[@sblack48]

What is the type? Walrus? I guess he learned a few things about streamlining between it and the spit!

[@sadams12345678]

It would be interesting to see how this compares with US Navy catapult operations during the same time period.

[@roberthealy2331]

sadams12345678 actually about identical. this is slow training film. average of takeoff from go was about 5 min

[@leathernluv]

I'll bet my ex-gf (cats, USN) would get a kick out of this. I was deck, but my friends were ship-wide. On a carrier, I got firsthand view of modern stuff. It's how I lost so much hearing though. I had to turn my speakers up, but a good video!

[@P61guy61]

Thank you for posting

[@CyberWolf36]

Wow, labor intensive. No room for screw-ups. And the recovery. That airman sitting on the top wing with the prop behind him. No thanks on that.

[@hairybear7705]

Capt. "Step lively lads, in 70 years they'll be watching this film on yet to be invented 'laptop' or 'tablet' computers".

[@fredwood1490]

Did anyone notice that there is a bullet hole in the right hand, front windscreen? Look around 15:40. I would have thought that would have been repaired before the plane is used again! That does show that this is a wartime film.

[@GeneralThargor]

@15:40, is that a bullet hole in the windshield?

[@mrrolandlawrence]

does rather look like it. thats why you need 2 pilots ;)

[@bruzote]

It could be any kind of impact damage, such as from the lifting cable connector when it is swinging around during initiation of recovery.

[@Ferr1963]

22:21 Who said safety first? That poor man can slip directly to the propeller. Now, try all this in open sea, under enemy fire.

[@philipashdown2860]

Ferr1963 Before elf and safety ....we used our brains ...

[@simprove]

@@philipashdown2860 except he had a safety strap, according to the film. Safety was stressed throughout the film, concern about it isn't new. I've never understood the idea that being safe is a bad thing.

[@DavidMartin-ym2te]

My Dad has done that wing-top job during the war as a WopAG in RAF ASR Walruses hoisting aboard an aircraft carrier. He obviously managed to avoid slipping back into the pusher prop. or I wouldn't be typing this.....

[@Ferr1963]

@@DavidMartin-ym2te Good for your dad! And for you obviously.

[@Thunderous117]

I mean under most circumstances they’d be launched before combat and probably not during it

[@DataWaveTaGo]

At 15:36 - Would somebody please toddle off to stores to see if we have a replacement for the starboard windscreen? And a bottle of scotch would be much appreciated...

[@DataWaveTaGo]

This looks like the incentive to design a Sea Harrier.

[@craigevans6156]

Well that looks easy!

[@PercyPruneMHDOIFandBars]

I love the bizarre pronunciations! The britch worker? Tayckles? How to make a complicated task 10 times harder. Brilliant!

[@fastmongrel]

Tayckle is the correct pronunciation I think originally it was take all

[@hobmoor2042]

Old middle class English RP pronunciation and dictation. You also hear it in old US East Coast accents in Thirties Hollywood movies - eg Katherine Hepburn in "The Philadelphia Story".

[@therealxunil2]

I particularly like the use of an aircraft with a bullet hole in the windscreen.

[@bowl1820]

Props to the men standing calmly right next to that launch ramp as the plane was launched.

[@DataWaveTaGo]

At 3:40 I've just noticed the pinup girl near the Sringbok skull with flight goggles. Any of this standard issue? ;)

[@WhiteCamry]

'Amphibian aircraft can land in rougher seas than float-plane types.' What's the difference between 'amphibian' and 'float-plane'?

[@bowl1820]

I know this late. The Amphibian planes fuselage/belly is designed for direct contact to the water. The Float/pontoon planes fuselage isn't, only the pontoons touch the water.

[@Calum_S]

Those landings looked comfy.

[@ch2507d]

And we complain nowadays that a turnaround time on an airport is 30min for a 180 seat passenger plane...

[@pistonar]

How would you like to be the ratings standing there while the aircraft is launched right over you? Nope.

[@wotnotvintage7762]

But they didn't bat an eyelid! Balls of steel!

[@mightyenigma1]

I don't understand what the wires/cables are for, that they were fiddling with before the engine starts up. Can anyone explain that to me further? Also, why does the firing mechanism need to be drained, and what is being drained from it?

[@victorboucher675]

Jolly good post, old man.

[@p51dlm22]

It appears as though there's a bullet hole in the starboard side of the windscreen?

[@fourfortyroadrunner6701]

As complicated as this is, and calm at that, one has to wonder just how successful these launches were under more adverse conditions, never mind recovery. I've watched film of US front engine monoplanes, and wondered HOW they never got a wire in the prop--or maybe they did

[@cryhavoc1124]

What was the maximum speed a ship could be moving to launch? I can’t find any information on the ideal speed in knots for launching safely. Anyone know? This ship looks to be stationary.

[@dashcam26]

Copped a bullet through the windshield at some point

[@ianbell5611]

What a great film Great piece of history.

[@johnsimpson6181]

Notice the aircraft has a bullet hole on the right front window.

[@gordonwiessner6327]

Prepare to launch 1940, finally launched 1945.

[@arlingtonhynes]

Next thing they knew, they’d won the war. Coincidence? Hardly.

[@johnnunn8688]

Brilliant!

[@georgecoates2079]

This was not in 44-45!

[@iskandartaib]

3:14 - Fiji class ships???

[@britishrail243]

Yes, also known as colony class cruisers but as Fiji (named after the then crown colony Fiji)was the first ship in her class the class is sometimes also referred to as the Fiji class.

[@waterheaterservices]

Great historical preservation.

[@MrSteeleye]

That's an old "shagbag". Many a pilot owes their life to those planes.

[@margaretpicard6460]

"Shagbag" or "Shagbat"? From RAF. Flt. Lt. Nick BERRYMAN’s book ‘In the Nick of Time’ “The Walrus experience was the most exciting and challenging time of my flying career, because I had to fight two elements: the air and the sea. ... and believe me; it was even more exciting than flying the Spitfire!”

[@465marko]

Even those of us not pilots owe our lives to a few old "shagbags". No doubt.

[@Nick-ye5kk]

How did the "passenger" at the very end, survive clinging to the tail plane? Presumably the pilot put it down on the water straight away.

[@DataWaveTaGo]

At 16:05, far lower right (the hand on rail, quickly withdrawn, goes back down). What you! Get back down there! There's to be no movement for the next minute!!!

[@Declan-pg8cg]

"Jim don't take off just yet, my harness isn'.... FUCK JIIIIIM". Only received a few bruises, and a lesson in how 2.5 G's effects excrement running down his leg. Still, I love the practicality of the whole process.

[@iancurtis1152]

At 15.53 "Navy Crew Cut"!!! close shave- what ever you want to call it!! I'd be shitting my pants!!

[@veronicaiacono1772]

Hi, I'd like to license this film, can you let me know how to get in contact?

[@58fins]

At 15:52-15:53 it looks like that left wing float nearly hits the crewman standing there! Close!

[@ncktbs]

boy id love to see this same thing updated for 45

[@silasmarner7586]

I see a hole (bullet?) in the rt. side window. Hmmmm..

[@snubbedpeer]

The airplane shown is a Supermarine Walrus.

[@bondsan]

This is why aircraft carriers were invented

[@ronanstark6218]

Yup.such a hassle having to launch aircraft on ships meant for other work.

[@stefanritscher7868]

Rather why helicopters and their pads were invented for smaller craft

[@КонстантинКузнецов-л8т]

Спасибо, прекрасное видео.

[@veronicaiacono1772]

I can't seem to access your site at Beulah, is there another address

[@charlesinsandiego2537]

15:36 - Bullet hole in windscreen?

[@JoseSantos-lx8cs]

Que trabalheira. What a enormeous hard work !!!

[@hotspur666]

Thank God the pilot doesn't have Admiral Roger Backhouse on board and he doesn't have forgotten to retract the landing gear!

[@Peter-lm3ic]

Radar put paid to Walrus spotter aircraft on board ship. Although I can recall them still flying in the late 1940’s from Lee-on-Solent RN air station.

[@tedf1471]

The dear old Shagbat, tougher than you may imagine.

[@kellyknott4201]

Astonishing! And there would be no chance of securing or lifting lines being drawn into the prop would there. And possibly taking the guy on the wing with it.

[@crazywayne7051]

This video must have given the Germans much confidence after they got up off the floor from Rolling laughing so hard they piss their pants

[@hachwarwickshire1718]

"Ok .... Maverick, Iceman. It's as simple as that ! Any questions about launch and recovery." ?

[@jamesatkins1802]

What a performance.

[@geofham8332]

By which point the war is over!!!

[@WendyHodgkinson]

And 5 minutes before launch the Graff Spee has dropped an 11 inch shell onto the bridge 😮

[@52morse]

Imagine doing all this in moderate seas!

[@dovidell]

In the recovery , the hooker-on could ( easily) fall into/onto the spinning propeller ( 21:38 ) - that chap DEFINITELY earnt his tot of rum !!

[@bastienexpat]

Sitting on a slippery wing inches from a very efficient bacon slicer without safety helmet or hi-vis jacket,

[@westlock]

He had a restraining line. That's the important thing.

[@paulhunter123]

how many chances for human error in this procedure ???

[@1sublime]

excellent point! Then, we must imagine: blowing a gale with sleet; North Atlantic; dark of night, shivering cold; 30 ft waves.....and there are U Boats about...not slipping/falling/getting clocked in the head by heavy pieces of metal;...and the Walrus is sent out looking for the crew of a downed aircraft........men of steel, our forefathers...

[@K1W1fly]

The Royal Navy did lose a very large number of amphibians due to mis-timed launch and recovery actions. All part of the game in the "pre-helicopter" era!

[@fourfortyroadrunner6701]

Let's not forget that operating choppers off a bobbing object is still yet "no picnic", either.

[@neildahlgaard-sigsworth3819]

paul hunter lots, that's why we train, train and train again.

[@jonathanclarke5878]

Mpost of those steps are designed to eliminate human error - check, cross check, and confirm

[@kalbossa]

This process seems way too complicated, even as a prototype. Could they seriously not engineer this to be more streamlined?

[@Dave5843-d9m]

Imagine all that lot in a rough sea where a rapid launch is required. Nobody forgets any clips or pins or straps or anything. Of course not. Sir.

[@Dave5843-d9m]

Supermarine Walrus.jpg

[@hatuletoh]

All right lads, today we're going to learn to launch the plane. It's simple operation, it just takes two dozen of you, and then we follow the steps, easy as one, two...six thousand-four hundred and twenty-two. Right! Pay attention now, I don't want to have to repeat myself, because we have to learn the launch and then recovery procedure afterwards quickly or we'll be late for breakfast.