Marking 100 Years of the First Underway Catapult Launch

摘要

Nov. 5 will mark a significant milestone in naval aviation history - the first catapult launch of an aircraft from a ship underway. A century earlier, LCDR Henry C. Mustin climbed into the seat of a Curtiss Model AB-2 Flying Boat that was attached to catapult temporary affixed to the stern of the armored cruiser North Carolina. His launch in Pensacola Bay, Fla., marked a world's first, and contributed to Pensacola's growing reputation as the cradle of naval aviation. Mustin's accomplishment demonstrated an evolving technology - the catapult - which led to scout planes being deployed from battleships and cruisers and would enable aircraft carriers to launch heavier aircraft.