The JBD ( Jet Blast Deflector) this forms part of the deck, when this is lifted by hydraulics it forms a screen which deflects the blast from the aircraft over the side of the ship! If this was not in place the blast from the aircraft would end up exiting the entire flight deck possibly blowing personnel off the stern of the flight deck.
The shuttle above deck attached to two pistons underneath the deck move at high speed during the launch, but what stops the pistons from exiting the bows of the ship?
I was on the starboard catapult at this time, the guys on the starboard cat seem to be looking at the holdback mechanism this held the aircraft in position as the plane rev up its engine, when the FDO dropped the green flag the Petty Officer in the howdah would open the main valve the steam would push the two pistons (under the flight deck) connected to the shuttle forward thus launching the aircraft!
The planes you can see are Sea Vixens they were planes that could fly at night , a pilot and navigator onboard, the navigator was enclosed in the fuselage next to the pilot!
The JBD ( Jet Blast Deflector) this forms part of the deck, when this is lifted by hydraulics it forms a screen which deflects the blast from the aircraft over the side of the ship! If this was not in place the blast from the aircraft would end up exiting the entire flight deck possibly blowing personnel off the stern of the flight deck.
The shuttle above deck attached to two pistons underneath the deck move at high speed during the launch, but what stops the pistons from exiting the bows of the ship?
I was on the starboard catapult at this time, the guys on the starboard cat seem to be looking at the holdback mechanism this held the aircraft in position as the plane rev up its engine, when the FDO dropped the green flag the Petty Officer in the howdah would open the main valve the steam would push the two pistons (under the flight deck) connected to the shuttle forward thus launching the aircraft!
The planes you can see are Sea Vixens they were planes that could fly at night , a pilot and navigator onboard, the navigator was enclosed in the fuselage next to the pilot!