Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!cbnews!military
From: fgbrooks@crash.cts.com (Fred Brooks)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Harriers on US ships, have they got takeoff ramps ?
Message-ID: <14505@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 6 Mar 90 04:22:29 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM
Organization: Crash TimeSharing, El Cajon, CA
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Approved: military@att.att.com



From: fgbrooks@crash.cts.com (Fred Brooks)

In article <14467@cbnews.ATT.COM> munnari!batserver.cs.uq.oz.au!anthony@uunet.UU.NET (Anthony Lee) writes:
>
>
>
>All the RN carriers have takeoff ramps for their Sea Harriers.
>What the about the USN, do they have ramps on their ships for their
>Harriers ?
>--

I was on a LPH when the USN was testing harriers for that class. No they 
do not have ramps. They would lineup on the flight deck about 400 feet from
the bow, then at full power direct the vector thrust to start them rolling.
At about 100 feet to the bow it looked like they rotated the thrust down to lift
off the deck. It worked but I don't think the pilots enjoyed it. Of course
they practiced vertical take-offs but that really reduced the range if you
had any ordnance.

fb