Catapult Collection (#5)

A sailor walks the catapults on the flight deck of USS Enterprise
Persian Gulf, June 13, 2006 - A sailor walks the catapults as part of his pre-launch checks of the catapults on the flight deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise

Shooters aboard the USS George H. W. Bush give the go-ahead signal to launch an F / A-18
Atlantic Ocean, March 15, 2010 - Shooters aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) give the go-ahead signal to launch an F/A-18 Super Hornet

A flight deck director signals an F / A-18F Super Hornet onto catapult one aboard the
Gulf of Oman, November 22, 2009 - A flight deck director signals an F/A-18F Super Hornet onto catapult one aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68)

An F / A-18C Hornet rockets down the flight deck of USS Ronald Reagan
Pacific Ocean, January 28, 2007 - In a flash of steam and fire, an F/A-18C Hornet rockets down the flight deck of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)

An E-2C Hawkeye during flight operations on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
October 3, 2012 - An E-2C Hawkeye of VAW-121 Bluetails, during flight operations on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) in the Arabian Sea in support of Operation Enduring Freedom

F / A-18F Super Hornets launch simultaneously from the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis
Arabian Gulf, October 7, 2011 - F/A-18F Super Hornets launch simultaneously from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis. John C. Stennis is deployed to the U.S

U. S. Navy shooters launch a C-2A Greyhound aircraft from the aircraft carrier USS George H
June 11, 2010 - U.S. Navy shooters launch a C-2A Greyhound aircraft assigned to Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 from aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W

An EA-18G Growler is ready for a mission aboard USS George H. W. Bush
Persian Gulf, October 31, 2011 - An EA-18G Growler is ready for a mission aboard USS George H.W. Bush

An RQ-7B Shadow unmanned aerial vehicle on its launcher
March 7, 2011 - An RQ-7B Shadow unmanned aerial vehicle on a trailer-mounted pneumatic launcher at Hurlburt Field, Florida, during Emerald Warrior 2011

An F / A-18E Super Hornet on the catapult aboard USS George H. W. Bush
Persian Gulf, October 31, 2011 - An F/A-18E Super Hornet moving to the catapult aboard USS George H.W. Bush

An E / A-18G Growler makes an arrested landing
Atlantic Ocean, May 22, 2010 - An E/A-18G Growler makes an arrested landing aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush

An F / A-18E Super Hornet catapults from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan
Pacific Ocean, November 1, 2011 - An F/A-18E Super Hornet catapults from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan

An EA-6B Prowler catapults from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan
Gulf of Aden, July 18, 2011 - An EA-6B Prowler catapults from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan is conducting operations supporting maritime security operations

Two F / A-18 Hornets take off from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan
Pacific Ocean, October 22, 2011 - Two F/A-18 Hornets take off from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan

A shooter gives the signal to launch an E-2C Hawkeye
The Arabian Gulf, April 1, 2003 - The catapult officer checks all aspects of safety before launching an E-2C Hawkeye from the flight deck aboard USS Abraham Lincoln

Aviation Boatswains Mate directs a C-2A Greyhound onto a catapult
Atlantic Ocean, September 5, 2012 - Aviation Boatswains Mate directs a C-2A Greyhound onto a catapult on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman as it prepares for takeoff

An F / A-18C Hornet launches from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson
Arabian Sea, April 25, 2011 - An F/A-18C Hornet launches from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson

An F / A-18C Hornet launches from the flight deck aboard USS Nimitz
Pacific Ocean, August 31, 2006 - An F/A-18C Hornet launches from the flight deck aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68)

An E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt
An E-2D Advanced Hawkeye assigned to the Tigertails of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 125 (VAW-125), aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)

An F / A-18E Super Hornet lands aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
Atlantic Ocean, August 17, 2011 - An F/A-18E Super Hornet lands aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). Dwight. D

An F / A-18 Super Hornet is ready to launch from a catapult aboard USS Harry S. Truman
A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet assigned to Squadron VFA-105 is ready to launch from a catapult aboard USS Harry S. Truman during Combat Cruise 2010

An F / A-18C Hornet ready to launch from a catapult board USS Theodore Roosevelt
An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to The Thunderbolts of Marine Strike Fighter Squadron 251 (VMFA-251), ready to launch from a catapult aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)

A plane director guides an E-2C Hawkeye onto the catapult for launch
Arabian Sea, October 5, 2010 - A plane director guides an E-2C Hawkeye onto the catapult for launch aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman

An F / A-18E Super Hornet moving to the catapult aboard USS George H. W. Bush
Persian Gulf, October 30, 2011 - An F/A-18E Super Hornet moving to the catapult aboard USS George H.W. Bush

An F / A-18E Super Hornet launches from the aircraft carrier USS George Washington
Pacific Ocean, October 29, 2011 - An F/A-18E Super Hornet launches from the aircraft carrier USS George Washington

An F / A-18C Hornet taxies to a steam-powered catapult on the flight deck of USS Theodore
Persian Gulf, November 16, 2005 - An F/A-18C Hornet taxies to a steam-powered catapult on the flight deck aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt

An Australian Scan Eagle launches from Ali Air Base, Iraq
December 28, 2007 - An Australian Scan Eagle unmanned aerial vehicle launches from Ali Air Base, Iraq

An EA-6B Prowler takes off from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise
Arabian Sea, September 4, 2012 - An EA-6B Prowler takes off from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise

A shooter signlas the launch of a T-45A Goshawk trainer aircraft
A T-45A Goshawk trainer aircraft assigned to Training Air Wing 2 is cleared by a flight deck shooter to launch from steam-powered bow catapult number two during afternoon training flight operations

An EA-6B Prowler is guided onto a catapult aboard USS Harry S. Truman
An EA-6B Prowler assigned to VAQ-130 is guided onto catapult 1 aboard USS Harry S. Truman. Truman is operating in the 5th fleet area of responsibility

Shooters give the signal to launch an F / A-18E Super Hornet
Pacific Ocean, September 3, 2012 - Shooters give the signal to launch an F/A-18E Super Hornet from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) during flight operations

An E-2C Hawkeye launches from the flight deck of USS John C. Stennis
Pacific Ocean, June 11, 2008 - An E-2C Hawkeye launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis. John C

An F / A-18F Super Hornet ready to launch from a catapult
An F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to the Red Rippers of Strike Fighter Attack Squadron 11 (VFA-11), ready to launch from a catapult aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)

An F-14D Tomcat in launch position on the flight deck of USS Theodore Roosevelt
North Arabian Gulf, October 17, 2005 - An F-14D Tomcat of VF-31 Tomcatters (Carrier Air Wing 8) in launch position on the flight deck of USS Theodore Roosevelt in support of Operation Enduring Freedom

An F / A-18C Hornet ready to launch from the flight deck of USS George H. W. Bush
Persian Gulf, October 31, 2011 - An F/A-18C Hornet is ready to launch from the flight deck of USS George H.W. Bush

An RQ-7 Shadow unmanned aerial vehicle ready to launch
April 4, 2011 - An RQ-7 Shadow unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is ready to launch from its trailer-mounted pneumatic catapult at an airfield near Wellton, Arizona

An F / A-18F Super Hornet moves into launch position aboard aircraft carrier USS Nimitz
A US Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet moves into launch position aboard aircraft carrier USS Nimitz

Flight deck crew position an F / A-18E Super Hornet into launch position aboard USS
Flight deck crew position an F/A-18E Super Hornet into launch position aboard aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower. Eisenhower is operating in the 5th fleet area of responsibility off the coast of Pakistan

Sailors guide an E-2C Hawkeye to a steam driven catapult
Pacific Ocean, November 11, 2006 - Sailors guide an E-2C Hawkeye to a steam driven catapult in preparation for launch from the flight deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS John C

An F / A-18E Super Hornet on the flight deck of USS George H. W. Bush
Persian Gulf, October 30, 2011 - An F/A-18E Super Hornet is ready to launch from the flight deck of USS George H.W. Bush

A shooter signals the launch of an E-2C Hawkeye aboard USS Abraham Lincoln
Arabian Gulf, November 9, 2010 - A shooter aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), signals the launch of an E-2C Hawkeye during Operation New Dawn

A ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle is launched from its catapult
May 20, 2011 - A ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle is launched at Schoonover Airfield, Fort Hunter Liggett, California, in support of Global Medic 2011

An Airman guides an E-2C Hawkeye
Pacific Ocean, January 22, 2007 - An aircraft flight deck director guides an E-2C Hawkeye onto a steam propelled catapult for launch off the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John

An aviation boatswains mate guides an F / A-18C Hornet into a catapult
Arabian Gulf, June 13, 2012 - An aviation boatswains mate guides an F/A-18C Hornet into a catapult shuttle on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln

An FA-18D Hornet taxis to the catapult aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan
Pacific Ocean, March 9, 2008 - An FA-18D Hornet taxis to the catapult aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) during carrier qualifications

An E-2C Hawkeye launches off the flight deck of USS Abraham Lincoln
Pacific Ocean, August 7, 2010 - An E-2C Hawkeye launches off the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln is underway for a composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX)

A shooter launches an F / A-18E Super Hornet from USS Dwight D Eisenhower
Arabian Sea, May 18, 2010 - A shooter launches an F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the Pukin Dogs of Strike Fighter Squadron 143 from the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower

An RQ-2B Pioneer UAV on an M927 logistics truck
An RQ-2B Pioneer unmanned aerial vehicle on an M927 logistics truck

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"From Ancient Warfare to Modern Naval Power: The Mighty Catapult" Step back in time and witness the incredible power of the catapult, a formidable war machine that has left its mark throughout history. In 1962, the USS Randolph proudly sailed through the open seas, showcasing its might with two S2F airplanes perched on its sturdy catapults. A true symbol of naval strength and innovation. But let's not forget where it all began - during the Roman siege of fortified cities, when these colossal machines were used to breach enemy walls. Coloured engravings depict brave soldiers operating these fearsome contraptions during battles that shaped empires. Fast forward to World War II, where seaplanes took flight from HMS Sussex's catapults, soaring into action as they played crucial roles in reconnaissance missions and aerial combat. The medieval era witnessed another iteration of this parabolic motion machine - a towering weapon capable of launching projectiles with immense force. These marvels brought both destruction and strategic advantage to those who wielded them. One cannot overlook the ingenuity behind Roman weaponry like the Onager, captured beautifully in an engraving at Museo Militar dating back to 1883. These ancient engineers understood how to harness tension and unleash devastation upon their enemies. Yet not all uses for catapults were born out of warfare alone. In a lighthearted twist depicted by Carl Anderson's Henry cartoon strip, we find ourselves chuckling at flies being hilariously launched into mid-air using this age-old invention. Moving towards more recent times, aircraft such as RAF Supermarine Walrus and Hawker Nimrod II found themselves taking off from specially designed amphibian airplane catapults – a testament to continuous technological advancements in aviation history. As we delve deeper into historical accounts like the Siege of Carthage or witness officers reviewing troops within Rome's mighty army empire-wide battles unfold before our eyes; each one highlighting the pivotal role catapults played in shaping the course of history.