181:(CAP) of fighters to loiter over the fleet ready to destroy any enemy search aircraft, and perhaps a few anti-submarine bombers ready to attack any submarine which might be found in a position to menace the fleet. While the dawn launch was aloft, additional planes might be readied for upcoming missions. Some planes might be readied to continue the search and patrol missions after the aircraft launched at dawn had returned to refuel, and others might be readied for offensive operations in case the enemy fleet was discovered. Some of these aircraft might be positioned on the flight deck in preparation for a speedy launch, and aircraft assigned to continue the search and patrol missions were typically launched to clear the flight deck in preparation for recovery of the aircraft launched at dawn.
52:
132:
156:
remaining on the flight deck when either evolution was completed had to be moved to the opposite end of the ship or to the hangar before beginning the other. Flight operations initially involved a launch and recovery cycle beginning with the launch of aircraft, followed by movement of unlaunched aircraft, and ending with recovery of aircraft. Sustained flight operations also required a period of refueling and repositioning the recovered aircraft for the next launch. Aircraft experiencing unexpected difficulties after launch might be lost if they were unable to stay airborne until the aircraft remaining on the flight deck could be repositioned for recovery.
120:, stored most embarked aircraft on the hangar deck to minimize weather damage and maximize operational readiness when the time came to launch. In either case, when all aircraft were positioned on the aft portion of the flight deck, the aircraft carrier turned into the wind to maximize airspeed over the flight deck and began launching aircraft over the
127:
Range of the aircraft and duration of searching or gunfire spotting was a function of fuel capacity; and, for a group of aircraft operating together for mutual defense, fuel consumption began when the first aircraft was launched. This interdependence encouraged launch of all available aircraft in the
95:
As the first aircraft carriers became operational in the early 1920s, they learned the necessary techniques for storing, launching, recovering, and servicing aircraft at sea. Early fleet exercises demonstrated the ability of aircraft to extend effective gunnery range from 20,000 yards (18 km) to
230:
In the carrier battles of 1942, aircraft stored on the hangar deck were positioned to launch as a strike force after aircraft stored on the flight deck had been launched as CAP and to search for the enemy fleet. The strike force sometimes launched before the enemy was found if necessary to clear the
184:
After the dawn launch had been recovered, those planes might be refueled in preparation to either repeat the search and patrol mission or augment the offensive force. If no enemy fleet was discovered, this cycle would be repeated through the daylight hours, although there would be no launch prior to
172:
like optical rangefinders. Planes of the 1930s were considered incapable of carrying weapons to sink a battleship, but they might be able to launch torpedoes to slow enemy battleships so friendly forces could come into gunnery range. Fleet exercises practicing expanded use of aircraft required more
163:
were more successful, but six catapults would be required to match the deck roll launch rate from a single flight deck, and no aircraft carrier was willing to sacrifice the aircraft storage capacity and defensive gun positions which would have been lost to install that number of catapults. The few
155:
A disadvantage of storing aircraft on the flight deck (even temporarily until elevators were ready for a hangar transfer) was the inability to simultaneously launch and recover aircraft. Aircraft had to be stored either on the stern while launching, or on the bow while recovering; and any aircraft
100:
to shoot down enemy aircraft, and predicted tactical advantages for the fleet able to launch the larger number of aircraft. Aircraft carriers embarked as many aircraft as possible to maximize mission effectiveness and sustained mission capability through anticipated operational losses of aircraft.
226:
demonstrated the effectiveness of an offensive strike in two waves. Aircraft stored on the flight deck (less any fighters retained as CAP) formed a first attack wave. Launch of a second wave commenced when all aircraft stored on the hangar deck had been positioned on the flight deck. CAP might be
151:
to clear the flight deck for the next plane to land. Completing this process as quickly as possible prevented loss of planes from fuel exhaustion, and again minimized the time the carrier must deviate from its preferred course into the direction of the wind. By the 1930s carriers halved the time
35:
cycles are scheduled to support efficient use of naval aircraft for searching, defensive patrols, and offensive airstrikes. The relative importance of these three missions varies with time and location. Through the first quarter-century of aircraft carrier operations, launch and recovery cycles
207:
in June 1940 illustrated the importance of maintaining a launch and recovery cycle to keep search aircraft aloft despite the decreased speed of advance resulting from periodic course changes to accommodate wind direction. Most aircraft carriers accepted the operational inconvenience of full
82:
to fulfill their traditional role of finding the enemy fleet and informing friendly forces of advantageous maneuvers before they came within gun range. Aircraft carriers were initially perceived as a means for a fleet of battleships to bring along aircraft to find the enemy fleet and
128:
shortest possible time so they might form up and proceed toward their target with minimum fuel consumption while waiting for the launch of the last plane. Rapid launch also minimized the time the aircraft carrier had to deviate from its intended course to conform to wind direction.
282:, reconnaissance, or free-lance missions seeking targets of opportunity. The shorter endurance of unrefueled jets caused the normal cycle time to be reduced to about 90 minutes from the four hours which had been typical for the latter part of World War II. Fires aboard
227:
refueled following launch of the second wave. With CAP prepared to intercept any enemy aircraft following the strike back to the carriers, the carriers would typically recover the first wave, move those aircraft into the hangar, and then recover the second wave.
235:, removal of fueled and armed aircraft decreased severity of battle damage to aircraft carriers, and preserved those aircraft from loss aboard a damaged carrier. Attempting to launch during an air attack limited maneuvering ability to evade torpedoes and bombs.
176:
Search planes might be readied to launch at dawn so they could make a complete search around the fleet for enemy units moving into range during the preceding hours of darkness. The first launch in the morning might also include a
167:
As larger aircraft carriers became available in the late 1920s, tactics evolved to utilize the larger number of available aircraft for offensive strike capabilities. Strafing fighters might be able to damage delicate battleship
152:
required for aircraft recovery by using temporary barricades across the flight deck to allow storage of aircraft on the forward portion of the flight deck while aircraft landed on the aft portion of the flight deck.
269:
simplified simultaneous launch and recovery of aircraft. Infrequency of combat between equivalent opposing air forces reduced emphasis on airstrikes using all embarked aircraft. Carrier operations during the
159:
Several early aircraft carriers included flying-off platforms for launching from the hangar deck while the flight deck was being used for landings, but those platforms proved impractical. Hangar deck
673:
231:
flight deck for recovery of the morning search and CAP aircraft. Strike force range was decreased by launching before target location was known; but, as demonstrated at the
244:
957:
666:
112:, considered the hangar deck a maintenance shop, and stored most embarked aircraft on the flight deck to minimize time required to position for launch.
51:
659:
131:
407:
357:
104:
Multiple planes could be launched from the flight deck in the time it took to move a single plane from the hangar deck to the flight deck.
278:
emphasized deckload strikes of about thirty aircraft with cyclic operations involving smaller numbers of planes for combat air patrol,
978:
927:
279:
439:
347:
325:
173:
complex launch and recovery cycles from dawn to dusk; but night operations were seldom practiced because of visibility limitations.
143:
When the planes returned from their mission, the aircraft carrier again turned into the wind and began recovering aircraft over the
295:
demonstrated that the damage enhancement factor of combat loaded aircraft aboard a carrier persisted through the shift from
641:
44:
deck. Carrier air operations evolved rapidly from experimental ships of the early 1920s through the combat experience of
216:
983:
460:
208:
utilization of both deck and hangar storage for embarked aircraft after Royal Navy losses to air attack during
96:
24,000 yards (22 km). Theorists suggested the possibility of denying that advantage to the enemy by using
283:
704:
699:
223:
72:
780:
947:
84:
932:
772:
762:
683:
290:
194:
169:
757:
724:
266:
105:
907:
902:
897:
892:
742:
734:
435:
403:
391:
343:
321:
185:
recovering the last search and patrol mission of the day during the fading hours of daylight.
178:
160:
709:
232:
209:
97:
16:
747:
369:
335:
75:
164:
catapults required to launch heavy aircraft were typically installed on the flight deck.
917:
428:
396:
313:
200:
in
September 1939 emphasized aircraft carrier vulnerability to submarines; and loss of
972:
952:
887:
714:
79:
937:
922:
719:
254:
219:
illustrated the importance of maximizing the number of fighters available for CAP.
201:
45:
912:
275:
68:
37:
651:
942:
271:
258:
121:
113:
636:
Tillman, Barrett; Nichols, John B. III (1986). "Fighting
Unwinnable Wars".
455:
300:
296:
245:
Modern United States Navy carrier air operations § Cyclic operations
148:
117:
24:
879:
785:
691:
109:
32:
28:
830:
815:
262:
41:
59:
launching aircraft positioned on the aft portion of the flight deck.
36:
attempted to optimize mission performance for ships with a straight
839:
825:
795:
250:
144:
130:
50:
249:
Carrier operations changed after the second world war to include
869:
864:
859:
854:
844:
835:
820:
810:
805:
800:
790:
752:
655:
147:. Planes were initially transferred into the hangar deck by
376:. Washington DC: United States Government Printing Office.
139:
using flight deck storage while landing aircraft in 1935.
108:
doctrine, formulated in the mild climate of the eastern
71:
naval engagements demonstrated the increased range of
878:
771:
733:
690:
427:
395:
116:doctrine, formulated in the cold and stormy north
342:. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.
667:
87:beyond visibility range of the firing ships.
8:
253:-assisted night operations and accommodate
674:
660:
652:
479:Potter & Nimitz (1960) pp.635&638
472:
434:. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company.
402:. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
523:
521:
617:Potter & Nimitz (1960) pp.676-680
320:. New York: Arco Publishing Company.
265:aircraft, and widespread adoption of
7:
362:Aircraft Carrier the majestic weapon
928:Shipborne rolling vertical landing
421:. New York: Harper & Brothers.
280:airborne early warning and control
14:
563:Friedman (1983) pp.8,9,11&16
374:The Campaigns of the Pacific War
1:
642:United States Naval Institute
506:MacIntyre (1971) pp.12&13
381:Pawlowski, Gareth L. (1971).
364:. New York: Ballantine Books.
488:Friedman (1983) pp.8&33
417:Winston, Robert A. (1942).
1000:
608:Winton (1977) pp.64&69
461:Index of aviation articles
242:
40:above an aircraft storage
979:Naval aviation technology
958:Floating landing platform
850:Launch and recovery cycle
385:. New York: Castle Books.
21:launch and recovery cycle
19:air operations include a
430:Air Power at Sea 1939-45
383:Flat-Tops and Fledglings
953:Water landing/ditching
705:Non-rocket spacelaunch
700:Balanced field takeoff
640:. Supplement (April).
599:Ofstie (1946) pp.13-24
340:U.S. Aircraft Carriers
224:attack on Pearl Harbor
170:fire control equipment
140:
73:dreadnought battleship
60:
781:Brodie landing system
426:Winton, John (1977).
257:requiring catapults.
134:
85:spot the fall of shot
78:and the inability of
54:
948:Touch-and-go landing
626:Friedman (1983) p.16
545:Friedman (1983) p.45
527:Friedman (1983) p.68
933:Short-field landing
773:Takeoff and landing
684:takeoff and landing
590:Winston (1942) p.14
581:Winston (1942) p.70
572:Friedman (1983) p.9
515:Winston (1942) p.32
267:angled flight decks
725:Zero-length launch
141:
106:United States Navy
61:
984:Aircraft carriers
966:
965:
908:Emergency landing
903:Deadstick landing
898:Crosswind landing
893:Corkscrew landing
735:Assisted take-off
497:Brown (1977) p.53
409:978-0-13-796870-1
392:Chester W. Nimitz
358:MacIntyre, Donald
318:Aircraft Carriers
179:combat air patrol
91:Early experiments
991:
710:Rejected takeoff
676:
669:
662:
653:
646:
645:
633:
627:
624:
618:
615:
609:
606:
600:
597:
591:
588:
582:
579:
573:
570:
564:
561:
555:
554:Brown (1977) p.2
552:
546:
543:
537:
536:Brown (1977) p.4
534:
528:
525:
516:
513:
507:
504:
498:
495:
489:
486:
480:
477:
445:
433:
422:
419:Aircraft Carrier
413:
401:
386:
377:
370:Ofstie, Ralph A.
365:
353:
336:Friedman, Norman
331:
239:Post-war changes
233:Battle of Midway
17:Aircraft carrier
999:
998:
994:
993:
992:
990:
989:
988:
969:
968:
967:
962:
874:
767:
748:Ground carriage
729:
686:
680:
650:
649:
635:
634:
630:
625:
621:
616:
612:
607:
603:
598:
594:
589:
585:
580:
576:
571:
567:
562:
558:
553:
549:
544:
540:
535:
531:
526:
519:
514:
510:
505:
501:
496:
492:
487:
483:
478:
474:
469:
452:
442:
425:
416:
410:
389:
380:
368:
356:
350:
334:
328:
312:
309:
247:
241:
217:Battle of Crete
191:
93:
66:
12:
11:
5:
997:
995:
987:
986:
981:
971:
970:
964:
963:
961:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
925:
920:
918:Forced landing
915:
910:
905:
900:
895:
890:
884:
882:
876:
875:
873:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
847:
842:
833:
828:
823:
818:
813:
808:
803:
798:
793:
788:
783:
777:
775:
769:
768:
766:
765:
760:
755:
750:
745:
739:
737:
731:
730:
728:
727:
722:
717:
712:
707:
702:
696:
694:
688:
687:
681:
679:
678:
671:
664:
656:
648:
647:
628:
619:
610:
601:
592:
583:
574:
565:
556:
547:
538:
529:
517:
508:
499:
490:
481:
471:
470:
468:
465:
464:
463:
458:
451:
448:
447:
446:
440:
423:
414:
408:
390:Potter, E.B.;
387:
378:
366:
354:
348:
332:
326:
308:
305:
243:Main article:
240:
237:
190:
187:
92:
89:
80:scout cruisers
65:
62:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
996:
985:
982:
980:
977:
976:
974:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
913:Flexible deck
911:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
888:Belly landing
886:
885:
883:
881:
877:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
778:
776:
774:
770:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
746:
744:
741:
740:
738:
736:
732:
726:
723:
721:
718:
716:
715:Rocket launch
713:
711:
708:
706:
703:
701:
698:
697:
695:
693:
689:
685:
677:
672:
670:
665:
663:
658:
657:
654:
643:
639:
632:
629:
623:
620:
614:
611:
605:
602:
596:
593:
587:
584:
578:
575:
569:
566:
560:
557:
551:
548:
542:
539:
533:
530:
524:
522:
518:
512:
509:
503:
500:
494:
491:
485:
482:
476:
473:
466:
462:
459:
457:
454:
453:
449:
443:
441:0-690-01222-5
437:
432:
431:
424:
420:
415:
411:
405:
400:
399:
393:
388:
384:
379:
375:
371:
367:
363:
359:
355:
351:
349:0-87021-739-9
345:
341:
337:
333:
329:
327:0-668-04164-1
323:
319:
315:
311:
310:
306:
304:
302:
298:
294:
293:
288:
287:
281:
277:
273:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
246:
238:
236:
234:
228:
225:
220:
218:
214:
213:
206:
205:
199:
198:
188:
186:
182:
180:
174:
171:
165:
162:
157:
153:
150:
146:
138:
133:
129:
125:
123:
119:
115:
111:
107:
102:
99:
90:
88:
86:
81:
77:
74:
70:
63:
58:
53:
49:
47:
43:
39:
34:
30:
26:
22:
18:
938:Soft landing
923:Hard landing
849:
720:Space launch
637:
631:
622:
613:
604:
595:
586:
577:
568:
559:
550:
541:
532:
511:
502:
493:
484:
475:
429:
418:
397:
382:
373:
361:
339:
317:
314:Brown, David
291:
285:
255:jet aircraft
248:
229:
221:
211:
203:
196:
192:
183:
175:
166:
158:
154:
142:
136:
126:
103:
94:
67:
56:
46:World War II
23:of embarked
20:
15:
758:Rocket sled
638:Proceedings
276:Vietnam War
259:Helicopters
69:World War I
38:flight deck
973:Categories
943:Splashdown
292:Enterprise
272:Korean War
210:Operation
197:Courageous
114:Royal Navy
64:Background
682:Types of
398:Sea Power
286:Forrestal
202:HMS
195:HMS
161:catapults
149:elevators
763:Ski-jump
743:Catapult
644:: 78–86.
456:Wave off
450:See also
394:(1960).
372:(1946).
360:(1971).
338:(1983).
316:(1977).
301:jet fuel
297:gasoline
215:and the
204:Glorious
193:Loss of
137:Saratoga
118:Atlantic
98:fighters
57:Yorktown
33:recovery
25:aircraft
880:Landing
786:CATOBAR
692:Takeoff
307:Sources
189:Wartime
110:Pacific
831:V/STOL
816:STOBAR
438:
406:
346:
324:
263:V/STOL
212:Excess
42:hangar
29:Launch
840:VTOHL
826:STOVL
796:eVTOL
467:Notes
251:radar
145:stern
870:HTVL
865:HTHL
860:VTHL
855:VTVL
845:VTOL
836:VTHL
821:STOL
811:RTOL
806:QTOL
801:PTOL
791:CTOL
753:JATO
436:ISBN
404:ISBN
344:ISBN
322:ISBN
289:and
284:USS
274:and
222:The
135:USS
76:guns
55:USS
31:and
299:to
122:bow
975::
520:^
303:.
261:,
124:.
48:.
27:.
838:/
675:e
668:t
661:v
444:.
412:.
352:.
330:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
