![](3D"http://www.bobholland.com/me/images/next.gif")
After the X-15 project I was transfered to the Internal Combustion =
Catapult=20
project.
Ok, You say "What is that?". First let me explain the catapult.
![](3D"http://www.bobholland.com/me/images/cat1.gif")
Planes that require flying speed are launched from an aircraft =
carrier by a=20
catapult using high pressure steam. The problems with this are:=20
- Fresh water is needed to generate the steam=20
- As the catapult moves the pressure drops. The initial "kick" =
is very=20
high and then the exceleration drops off. The plane and pilot may =
be=20
subjected to as much as 5G's at the start to get enough speed to =
get=20
airborne.
This is why aircraft carriers always turn into the wind and increase =
speed=20
to launch planes. To conserve fresh water and reduce stress to pilots =
and=20
planes.
Reaction Motors designed a system with a rocket engine that burned =
jet fuel=20
and added salt water to generate the steam. Both jet fuel and salt water =
are=20
readily available at sea. The engine produced constant pressure =
throughout the=20
launch and a plane could be launched with as little as 2G's of constant=20
excelleration.
This means that aircraft could be launched with less stress and even =
at=20
flying speed downwind.
![](3D"http://www.bobholland.com/me/images/cat2.gif")
I was transfered to Lakehurst New Jersey. The left catapult is =
steam, the=20
center was the Reaction Motors catapult and the large building to the =
right is=20
the steam house required to generate the steam for the steam catapult.
Right about now you are probably wondering "if this thing was so =
great then=20
why are we still using steam catapults?". The answer is very simple.
In the latter stage of the project we turned the catapult operations =
over to=20
Navy personel. The arrangement was that if there were any problems the =
Navy=20
personel could go home while we fixed it.
DUH!
Yup, we had problems. Leaks, cut wires, loose fittings, water in the =
hydrolics, you name it. Anything the sailors could think of so they =
could get=20
off work.
The boys in Washington looked at the numbers and in their infinate =
wisdom=20
decided that the system was too unreliable.
I worked on both catapult systems and believe me, the Reaction =
Motors system=20
was far superior, less expensive and more effective.
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