What is the purpose of a catapult?

catapult, mechanism for forcefully propelling stones, spears, or other projectiles, in use mainly as a military weapon since ancient times. The ancient Greeks and Romans used a heavy crossbowlike weapon known as a ballista to shoot arrows and darts as well as stones at enemy soldiers.

How does a catapult holdback work?

The Repeatable Release Holdback Bar (RRHB) is a device that is used to hold aircraft in place just prior to launching them with a catapult. Once the catapult is fired a pre-determined force is reached and the holdback bar lets go of the aircraft allowing it to be accelerated down the deck.

What other factors could affect a catapult?

What Variables Affects Catapult Accuracy?

• Distance from the fulcrum.
• Force behind launch.
• Today’s Objective:
• Weight of the Projectile.
• Angle of Release (pull back)
• pullback = launch time.
• Durability of Construction.
• Accuracy vs. Precision.

How did catapults develop?

Stone-Hurling Catapult, Greece, 400 BCE The catapult was an ancient siege machine that could hurl heavy objects or shoot arrows with great force and for considerable distances. Some catapults could throw stones weighing as much as 350 pounds for distances greater than 300 feet.

How do planes launch from holdbacks?

There’s a brief process the cat is fired. The cat pulls the aircraft out of the holdback and away you go. Launch power varies with aircraft type and loading. There is a short link that holds the traveler back. At launch, pressure builds up in the piston until the link breaks, and woosh! The link

How do airliners use catapults?

The airplane is fitted with something to hook it to the catapult and something to hold it back under full throttle until the catapult is activated.

How does the launch bar hold back the shuttle?

It holds back the AIRPLANE, not the shuttle (what one poster called the “traveler”). If you can find a detail photo of or launch bar. It is normally stowed in the ‘up’ position. Prior to the bar is lowered. The transverse knob on the end of the launch bar engages with the notch at the front face of the shuttle. defined breaking strength.

What happened to the catapult bridle in WW2?

The catapult bridle (two attach points on the aircraft) or pendant (one attach point) was considered disposable. It simply dropped from the aircraft and fell into the sea off the bow after the launch.