On Fri, 11 Apr 2008, Capt. Deltic wrote:

On 10 Apr, 21:15, Nick Leverton wrote:
In article ,

D7666 wrote:
On Apr 10, 10:34*am, "Paul Scott"
wrote:
~ The capability to move a short distance without the traction supply being
present;"

Where is Sir Isaac Newton ?

There are a number of alternatives.

2 Or my favourite, RATOG (Rocket Assisted Take Off Gear) used on
carriers in the 1950s when the steam catapult was u/s.

Still around, i believe. It's used in special cases - getting transport
planes to take off from short fields and the like - rather than being
routine, though. Here you go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JATO

Actually, not sure how widely used it is other than by the US navy stunt
flying team's Hercules:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xu6-s6Ulak

3) Or the hydrogen peroxide powered steam turbine from the Spearfish
torpedo which gave over a megawatt

'Gave'? Does it now use something else?

tom

--
Ed editor textorum probatissimus est -- Cicero, De officiis IV.7