Grumman Tracker Launch, HMCS Bonaventure

Flight deck crew aboard HMCS Bonaventure stand at their stations as the carrier's steam catapult launches a Grumman Tracker.

A flight deck officer (second from left), part of the team responsible for flight deck operations and aircraft movements, gives a launch signal with a flag. A steel cable called a bridle attaches the aircraft to the catapult piston, visible just to the left of the Tracker's nose gear. The powerful catapult would accelerate the Tracker to a speed of almost 200 kilometres per hour within a distance of some 35 metres.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19900076-974