Spiteful
January 21, 2006 at 6:04 pm

Steam Catapult trials.

Hi,

Does anyone know where HMS Perseus carried out the trials on steam catapults in the early 1950’s?

I caught a clip on a TV show last week of them test firing the catapult with pilotless Seafires, which were then left to crash into the sea. They even test fired the carriers piano for a laugh at the end of the trials!

Just wondered if these aircraft had been located or are just sitting at the bottom of the sea. It looked to be in a harbour, so maybe sheltered from harsh tidal action, but I would think that the salty water will have done its worst if they are still there.

Thanks.

Member for:

19 years 1 month

Posts:

525

Send private message

By: lauriebe - 22nd January 2006 at 11:09

I’ll go dig out the July 05 magazine and have a read.

Thanks again.

There are a couple of photos of the Seafires involved that I supplied in the ‘Flypost’ section of August ’05 issue as well.

Laurie.

Member for:

19 years 1 month

Posts:

178

Send private message

By: Spiteful - 22nd January 2006 at 09:40

Thanks for the replies.

I was sure that some tests were carried out in the UK, and hence had not connected the US trials to the ones I saw on television.

I’ll go dig out the July 05 magazine and have a read.

Thanks again.

Member for:

19 years 1 month

Posts:

525

Send private message

By: lauriebe - 22nd January 2006 at 01:33

Hi,

Does anyone know where HMS Perseus carried out the trials on steam catapults in the early 1950’s?

I caught a clip on a TV show last week of them test firing the catapult with pilotless Seafires, which were then left to crash into the sea. They even test fired the carriers piano for a laugh at the end of the trials!

Just wondered if these aircraft had been located or are just sitting at the bottom of the sea. It looked to be in a harbour, so maybe sheltered from harsh tidal action, but I would think that the salty water will have done its worst if they are still there.

Thanks.

See ‘Flypost’ (P87) in the July 2005 issue of ‘FlyPast’ for a detailed account from N T Wintrip who was onboard HMS Perseus at the time of the trials. The ship was modified at Rosyth, from where the trials seem to have been carried out.

Later tests, with heavier aircraft, were carried out from the Harland and Wolfe Shipyard, Belfast. Shortly after that, Perseus sailed for the US.

I am still trying to identify which Seafires were used on these tests. If anyone can throw further light on the subject, I’d like to hear from them.

Laurie.

Member for:

19 years 1 month

Posts:

2,888

Send private message

By: Papa Lima - 21st January 2006 at 21:47

A quick google found this:

In the first three months of 1952, the US Navy carried out tests of the RN developed steam catapult, launching US naval aircraft at sea from HMS Perseus, and on land at the Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, and the Naval Operating Base, Norfolk. In April 1952, the US Navy announced that this catapult would be adopted for use on US aircraft carriers, with the first installation on the USS Hancock.

http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Ships/PERSEUS.html