launching

[s.e.charles]

after looking at a video of some early WWII ships and seeing biplanes on a launching mechanism, i have to ask:

how would such a fragile plane be launched without it shattering the fuselage or at least torque affecting the upper wing assembly?

[Dirigible-Al]

Firstly I personally don't consider them fragile. I cannot comment on the Swordfish but knowing someone who built two flying replicas of WW1 aircraft I would say their air frame can take some stress. I haven't seen the WW2 videos you mentioned but there is a link below to HMS Slinger and her catapult trials. You may notice the Short and the Fairy that were launched were not hurled off at any great speed, they didn't need to be. From the point of view of WW1 carriers all but 2 were actually seaplane tenders or like HMS Slinger launchers. Seaplane tenders carried floatplanes or flying boats and lowered them into the sea to take off under their own steam. In case anyone comments, yes wheeled aircraft flew off platforms built on the bows, gun barrels and lighters/barges towed behind them. In these cases they too took off on their own steam.
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060000154
If the link doesn't work Google iwm slinger trials.
Alan.

[macsporran]

I used to build rubber-powered balsa planes and for the maiden flight you would wind up the motor, point into the wind and gently launch with a little push to help them get going. You would not apply any force to the launch.

I think WWI carrier launches would similarly gently assist the plane into the air without too much stress. (Although with all the steel rigging the structure was of course strong enough to withstand several 'g' in the air.)

Bear in mind the stall speed of these aircraft might only be 40 or 50mph, so with a strong headwind you could almost release some of them aloft like a kite, with little forward pressure needed at all.
Sandy

PS I once watched horrified as a pal who had spent hours making a Guillows SE5a threw it with all the force of a baseball pitcher and saw it smash into pieces on the ground at his feet. That'd be the same outcome if you fired off a Sopwith Camel on a modern steam catapult!

[Rookie]

Thanks for providing the link Alan, this is very interesting footage, very enlightening!

Willem

[Thumbs up]

getting a 2 ton jet off a ship has its own math!