Aircraft catapult Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
An aircraft catapult is a device used to launch aircraft from ships, in particular aircraft carriers. They are one of several forms of assisted take off.A catapult consists of a track, usually built into a flight deck, in which is held a shuttle that is attached to an aircraft, which is launched toward the end of the deck at high speed. Up to and during World War II most catapults were hydraulic. After the war navies gradually converted to steam catapults, which were the only ones capable of launching the heavier jet fighters. At the beginning of the 21st century, navies started experimenting with catapults powered by linear induction motors and electromagnetics.
As of this writing, except in the United States Navy and French Navy, catapults have mostly fallen out of use, as most navies prefer to use the McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) AV-8B Harrier II and its derivatives, which are STOVL aircraft, and can be launched from smaller and cheaper ships than CTOL (Conventional Take Off and Landing) aircraft.
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