Catapulting off a US Navy Carrier - 1944

Small aircraft carriers depended on their catapults to operate aircraft. This unique film offers a rare look at how US Navy carrier crews were trained to operate catapults to launch aircraft, even from very short decks. Get this video and a lot more on our "Fighting Lady" DVD bit.ly/ICXBG9
Zeno, Zeno's Warbird Videos zenoswarbirdvid...

[@jamesthomas7095]

My Dad was a pilot on the USS Cowpens. Flew a TBF Avenger. We used to talk how hard the catapult would hit when launched. Great video, thanks..

[@timhaas2986]

Amazing My father served on the catapult crew on the carrier Bataan in WW 2 18 years old Whole new understanding on how brave these guys were in WW 2

[@elchaconaso]

talk about dangerous jobs,this got to be on top of the list.

[@benywidodo]

wow, they're so close to the running props!

[@TheWizardGamez]

still are on modern aircraft, of course now we dont need to be underneath and all that as all active aircraft use nosegear hooks

[@lancelot1953]

Thank you so much for this little gem of history. I flew jets that were launched with the bridle system. I am amazed how similar it was from 40 years prior. If any deck crews are reading my comments, you guys have my utmost respect for preventing me from bending a wing, rolling over board, and getting a cold Cat shot, let alone killing myself. Great video, Ciao, L

[@ZenosWarbirds]

Thanks! I think there's another film on my channel you'll also enjoy, "Landing & Re-spotting World War 2 Carrier Aircraft" Flight Deck Crews: Landing & Re-Spotting World War 2 Aircraft Carrier Planes

[@lancelot1953]

ZenosWarbirds Your videos are great! Thank you so much for preserving these memories (at least some of mine) for the benefit of the YT community. Ciao, L

[@Popesontour]

Thanks from a V1 red shirt. Crash and Salvage! ABH3

[@lancelot1953]

@@Popesontour , Hi Petty Officer Thomas, thank you for keeping me safe on the deck, not letting me "crunch" a wing-tip, and ensuring I did not have to come back with "hung ordnance" (it happens). May God bless you, Ciao, L

[@Tolianchig]

Не думал, что такая кустарщина. Но ребята молодцы.

[@waterlicker8635]

4:10 me and the boys going to war

[@swooftperson_08]

*START THE ENGINES BOYS*

[@waffles9551]

Two of my family members where in war one died in a plane😢

[@81squadronraf]

spasibo!

[@briancooper2112]

Wildcats or Fm-2?

[@JuanAdam12]

Never seen anything like this about WW2 carrier ops. This is a treasure.

[@TheWizardGamez]

for the fleet carriers it was redundant. the airspeed needed to reach launch was mostly accounted for by the sheer speed of the carriers. ~30knts. given the sheer length. most planes could reach takeoff speeds. in many films we apparently see the plane drop like a rock after reaching the end of the flight deck. but in many cases unless it was a very laden bomber the drop is actually just the bow action of the ship.

[@thomasmyers9128]

The planes are F4F Wildcats.... you would think that by 1944.... F6 Hellcats and F4U Corsairs would be the only thing on carriers...... I have a feeling it’s 1942-43 film...

[@spudskie3907]

Wildcats served throughout the war. Hellcats and Corsairs would fly off of fleet carriers once they came into service. Wildcats would serve on escort carriers.

[@Andrew-13579]

That was awesome! Very educational about how they launched planes from small carriers in 1944. I believe that was USS Tripoli CVE-64. The Wildcats were FM-1's, which were GM-built F4F-4's with only 4 guns, instead of 6. I like hearing those radial engines. Man, that looked like fun work launching those planes! But looks like one can never get careless around those propellers!

[@jimkenealy6448]

Thanks for clarifying about those FM-1s.

[@pat36a]

In the begging, they had alot of issues w/the catapults. My Father was on CV-42 FDR. VB-75 on it's Maiden Voyage. According to the Navy the Catapult failed, off and into the ocean dad went. There are a few videos on the FDR showing his SB2C going in.

[@kdfulton3152]

I can always count on ZENOSWARBIRDS for a completely new to me and very interesting WW 2 video! This was fascinating. Thank you 🙏

[@finnblu3002]

Always amazed at the engineering and technology development during this period. And the adaptability of those involved. Maybe just out of high school in the Midwest, other and in a matter of months ... this. And the individuals that at a relatively young age were assigned to such new technology under extreme conditions and the prepared and circulated directions, specifications, maintenance, operation, modifications, other and the impact of weather, salt, enemy engagements!!, extreme temperatures, sea sickness, wind loads, weather patterns, wicked seas and on and on ... And how proven or unproven technology assigned to ships, planes, ground engagements, weapon systems, hardware, clothing, tools, fuel systems, safety, redundancies etc

[@rqlk]

The engineering is absolutely genius, and the narrator does a great job of explaining it in simple terms. Thank you so much for sharing this!

[@EdwardRLyons]

This is absolute gold! Thanks for making this and other such videos available to a wider audience.

[@jobu88]

I've never been able to find video of it, but the Navy installed and tested catapults mounted in the hangar bay that would launch planes out the side of the ship. You can find some photos of it on Pinterest if you search for "Hellcat of Fighting Squadron 2 being shot from the hangar deck catapult of the Fleet Carrier USS Essex."

[@Lockbar]

The 1944 film "Wing and a Prayer" features a hanger deck launch out the side of the carrier.

[@keithstudly6071]

A friend of mine was a navy fighter pilot and many years later he said the most frightening thing he ever intentionally did in an airplane was the time he did a hanger deck launch. The plane launched out the side of the flight deck and the pilot had an immediate cross wind right after launch. Several years after he told me this I looked his name up on a site honoring Hellcat pilots and only then I found out he was an ace with 6 kills. He never told anyone that. I would assume he was flying a wildcat when he did the hanger deck launch.

[@incognitotomato9061]

I thought that WW2 carrier had aircraft that could launch unassisted, I never knew they used catapults on carriers back then.

[@Axel0204]

While they had them, the full sized fleet carriers such as the Yorktown- and Essex-classes didn't need to use them very often. The smaller light carriers such as the Independence-class, and especially the even smaller escort carriers like the one in this video(either a Bogue- or Casablanca-class, I think) needed to use them much more frequently.

[@wonniewarrior]

Did the deck crew have specific coloured shirts / hats to denote their position or task as like on modern carriers ?

[@scottgoodman8993]

Note some sailors carry big honking knifes to cut what's left of their arm off if caught by machinery. I was surprised they wore rings and bracelets around such dangerous machinery. Also note sailor placing bridle at bow of ship was inches from overboard with no life jacket and no rail. One presumes modern Navy has fixed these safety issues. Clown with ocarina was a hoot.

[@98SE]

Thanks for preserving this video and sharing it on the internet for everyone to see! Really appreciate it, also I have just subscribed. :)

[@MrAlumni72]

Thanks for posting - this was truly fascinating! Until you see the background story like this, it's just 'catapulting' and a minor and relatively simple part of the overall process. I'd love to know how long it took to come up with this entire process - trial and error? Hopefully not! I remember (vaguely) reading about a carrier class that had a lateral catapult in the forward section of the hangar deck - I think it was an American carrier class, maybe the Yorktown class - but I don't remember for sure. I doubt it was used during the war, and probably only with biplanes early on, since they had much more lift and could compensate for the lack of with coming down the flight deck. Loss of flight deck personnel would certainly affect a carrier's performance - the airdales were highly trained crew in their own right and would be tough to replace without going back to port.

[@canuckster24]

Early Essex class carriers had them but they were removed shortly thereafter, space was used for AA instead.

[@ZenosWarbirds]

Like what you see? Your DVD purchases at our store make this channel possible. www.zenosflightshop.com Get this video and a lot more on our "Fighting Lady" DVD bit.ly/ICXBG9 We need your support! Zeno

[@BigboiiTone]

0:57 how the plane take off with pilots balls weighing 200lbs each??

[@robertboomhower8683]

The catapult was the birth of a new generation, but the F4F Wildcat proved unmatched against the Zero . Should have been outfitted with the F6F Hellcat.

[@mochabear88]

you undervalue the f4f. also in the video is an fm1 not an f4f

[@meinfraulein380]

getting near those props in a rolling ship is scary

[@seankestebernales5841]

I should really stop watching Azur Lane videos, I'm getting weird WW2 Military videos.

[@xDahliaJay]

Hi there. does anyone know anything about the us navy landing in new Zealand ? I need infomation about the us navy's that came here around 1944? I'm trying to find my grandmother's father. . please help

[@Jaystarzgaming]

I think this would be nice to be implemented in to War Thunder to make a good fully functional Aircraft Carrier.

[@reginafischer6747]

Sehr interessant. Tolle Leistung. Den Film werde ich mir wieder ansehen.

[@thomashenshallhydraxis]

There was so much happening in WW2. Just to get a squadron of planes over a area; only took 7k supporting troops. When I sit and watch these videos, the more I see how WW2 was crazy with innovative techniques to kill other humans and destroy there equipment. Just doing what’s in this video was probably hard to accomplish daily. Sometimes ships released all airplanes for attacks, then they have to land again. And do it all over; while being shot at or bombed from high altitude. Terrible weather, sea sickness,

[@buster117]

Which us aircraft carriers had catapults during ww2?

[@dinostudios6579]

All escort carriers and a few yorktown and lexington classes

[@Ch4pp13]

I was wondering why cruisers and battleships had aircraft on them in World Of Warships. "Surely they're just there for arcade purposes. No way they're getting catapulted into the air. That's just insane!" I thought. Apparently Bill realised that his slingshot could be converted into a plane launching mechanism used by battleships to scout fir enemy cmbatants, and went to work. Crazy bastards. Hilarious concept.

[@skyhawk61]

Just stumbled across this..very impressive..teamwork is still there..did my carrier tour 63’-64 on CVS-12 as aa A4B pilot..ALL launch personnel are essential to the safety and efficiency of launches..BZ to those past and present. That’s what makes Naval Aviation. So great!!Semper Fi

[@LCMNUNES1962]

VERY GOOD VÍDEO, BRASIL OK.

[@richieincident3613]

cve-64 uss TRIPOLI

[@vrendus522]

wow' thanks real adventure seeing this

[@knightmareoflegends2380]

So The hand signals stem from the SIGN the Guy is holding Gotcha👍

[@MonteOlsen]

Interesting. Thanks for posting this. I wonder what the interval is today or what it was at the Battle of Midway?

[@carygrant8796]

Shouldn't it be called Catapulting Off a Carrier?

[@SSGRockFury]

No cats were used on the USN carriers at Midway.. As for today, the Nimitz-class CVNs can launch one aircraft every 20 seconds, using all four cats (two at the waist, two at the bow). THAT would be humpin' & bumpin' tho, and I'd wager that that figure is optimum...

[@samvanderburg876]

They were shooting for 45 sec per plane in this video. That would be 80 sec per plane today. I suspect the jets are a little different to hook up.

[@captrodgers4273]

i hear on the bigger ww2 carriers some had cats but the pilots often prefered not to use them because their planes had enough space to fly off under their own power. plus it was faster to get into the air

[@buster117]

capt rodgers yeah I have the same question , and idk why I don't see catapults in a lot of US Navy carrier during ww2 like Lexington , Independence and Midway class carriers

[@kurumi394]

@@buster117 WWII propeller planes required a lower takeoff speed, so the speed of the plane + the speed of the sailing carrier was enough to get planes airborne. You can also see this in other countries' carriers such as Akagi or Kaga.

[@StephenMarlerexperience]

I believe that this type of catapault was only used briefly, in historical terms, on just a few ships, right at the end of WWII. Keep in mind that the catapult room takes up valuable space, and weight, which otherwise could be used for carrying more ordinance or fuel. Not to mention the usage of ship's energy and crew's man hours. This type of catapult may have been very useful for a cruiser or battleship, as we see at the beginning, allowing them to launch a seaplane laterally on a 60 foot rail. But the aircraft carriers had the luxury of a few hundred feet of deck, and the ability to point that deck into the wind and sail fast into it. So it was typical for WWII aircraft carriers to just not have catapults, and then not long after this video was made, it was typical for aircraft carriers to have much more powerful steam catapults, which really made a difference and allowed launching high speed, heavy jet fighters with minimal deckspace. Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think that the fairly-weak compressed air catapult that we see in this video had a limited service on just a few ships, bridging two eras in Naval history.

[@Nghilifa]

@@StephenMarlerexperience All the fleet carriers in the US Navy (the big ones) had hydraulic catapults. Both the Yorktown Class & Essex Class (The Lexington CV2 and Saratoga also had catapults) carriers had catapults. The Essex class had two at the bow whilst the Yorktown class only had one at the bow. Catapults were used all the time, but it was obviously quicker to do a deck run. Often they'd use catapults when the conditions required them to do so, for example if the ship couldn't steam at full power into the wind due to unforeseen problems, such as engine trouble, or perhaps the wind blew in a direction that was inadvantageous to the Carrier Strike Group and so forth.

[@scottwatrous3961]

What did he call that ice-cream type thing floater was eating? an Edunk? Ski-dunk?

[@MrAlumni72]

That would be gedunk. It's what they called the snack bar on board ship, as well as the snacks themselves.

[@StephenMarlerexperience]

The word is "gedunk." (dunno how you spell it; I've only ever heard it spoken. I couldn't even tell you if it's a proper word on its own, or like a shortening of something. But there's definitely a "G" sound involved.) But gedunk is a general word in the military for good tasty mouth product. It's similar to saying "canteen." As in, "Oh, let's go get some canteen!" almost synonymous.

[@eirdofkoda]

I never knew this happened. So interesting. Thank you for the video!

[@stephencellucci]

Boy,seems like a lot of work.What happens when there being attacked?

[@StephenMarlerexperience]

I think the answer is, you just can't launch while being attacked. These ships are almost all offense; no defense. If they know an attack is imminent, they need to launch before they are under attack. Note how the video emphasizes launching all the planes as quickly as safely possible! You gotta get 'em in the air before you're under attack. I served on an aircraft carrier from like '08 to '12 or so.

[@joevicmeneses8918]

@@westlock Only 1 was sunk due to surface gunfire, while the other one due to kamikazi.

[@wesinman2312]

Great video, thank you!

[@TheJuan72]

Isn't it easier if the airplane takes off on their own power ?

[@野良犬撮影隊二大隊四]

流石先進国！

[@jamesmerkel9442]

45 sec wow not bad pit crew

[@YosukeNakane]

結構複雑なプロセスなんだなぁ

[@Peorhum]

Anyone know the type of cap they are wearing below deck in the catapult room? At about 4:30

[@KB4QAA]

It does look unusual at first. They are wearing their flight deck helmets (cloth) with the chin strap and ears folded up over the top. Since they are Cats & Gear Boatswain's mates their color code is Green with Green jerseys.

[@carymartin9548]

to long

[@hatuletoh]

It always amazes me that things like this can be done--and have been being done for nearly a century now, and there's a thought for you--with a relatively reliable expectation of safety. Because a failure at any single step has the potential to get someone or maybe multiple someones killed real ugly, and a failure at certain vital steps nearly guarantees it. And the process is even more dangerous today with much more powerful jet aircraft, and many more people running around on the deck; on the other had, that nearly a century of practice hasn't gone to waste. Even still, back in the 80s and 90s (I don't know if this is still true) carriers averaged just about one fatal accident per deployment, not too bad considering that there are 5000 people on a modern carrier, and that figure includes anyone who stumbled off the deck in a Ny-Quil induced stupor. On the other hand, carrier deck crews had and presumably still have a comparatively high rate of non-combat deaths compared to any MOS in any branch of service. There's only so much that can be done to make the job safe, but the fact that it can be done at all is a testament to professionalism.

[@billybonewhacker]

did you see that guys little turn he did on the catwalk? yeah , on the catwalk he did a little turn on the catwalk.

[@waffles9551]

Too of my Family members anyone wanna do a plane and he died😢😪🥺

[@WombRaider7878]

This is like watching someone demonstrate a muzzle loader at an assault rifle range.

[@ReptileRescue]

+WombRaider7878 So fuck off if you don't like war bird history you stupid Millennial.