The JATO Show Dies Of Old Age

The Strategy Page ^ | 11/06/2009 | The Strategy Page

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

One of the last regular users of JATO (Jet Assisted Take Off) rockets is dropping the practice. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels acrobatic team will no longer feature their C-130 (called "Fat Albert", and used to haul around the maintenance personnel and their equipment) doing a quick and fiery takeoff using JATO rockets. This was always a crowd pleaser, partly because you hardly see it anymore. JATO was first developed in the 1920s, to get gliders into the air. Later, especially during World War II, and a few decades after, JATO was used for getting aircraft off the ground quickly, when a longer air strip was not available. JATO could also be used to help get an overloaded aircraft off the ground. But as engines became more powerful, and aircraft design more efficient, JATO was needed less. The U.S. generally stopped using JATO in the 1970s. And in the last three decades, JATO has faded from the scene. So Fat Albert will no longer be able to do its JATO jump act, simply because those 150 pound JATO rockets (called "bottles" because of their shape) are no longer available

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

[Fiddlstix]

Bump
Ping

[RocketMan1]

Cool! How long til I can pick one f these up at a local surplus store? I've always wanted to try that "Darwin award" thing where some schmuck bolted a JATO to a Buick!

Darwin Award: JATO Rocket

Darwin Award: JATO Rocket

[deks]

C-130 JATO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDuXTZioM0g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5BaNJRNj0g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHhAfCPOsQc

[Vroomfondel]

ping

[RocketMan1]

Dang! I screwed THAT one up!

Darwin Award: JATO Rocket

Darwin Award: JATO Rocket

[Rastus]

That was MythBusted.

[OCC]

This would have probably drawn bigger crowds at Blue Angels shows... not that they have ever lacked crowds.

[kbennkc]

It couldn't steal the show , but the JATO 130 takeoff draws the largest gasps because unless you have seen it you would never believe the mighty Hercules could jump into the sky so fast . Aviation and military tactic demonstrations are always exciting , I never miss the Blue Angels , Thunderbirds and Golden Knights . The 82nd Airborne used to put on huge shows in the 70s . They have been a bit busy the last few years , Airborne all the way . There are no unimportant jobs in the service and few that are not dangerous and very difficult at times . Go Navy , we are proud of you all

[saundby]

If you don’t mind smelling of asphalt oil, you can make your own. One of Willy Ley’s books has a couple of JATO recipes in the back. (Rockets and Space Travel, IIRC.) Take your time when stirring. ;)

[GreyFriar]

ping

[BallyBill]

I thought it used RATO not JATO.

[Right Wing Assault]

[Yo-Yo]

That one didn't turn out so well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKCl3lfAx1Q

[MrTed]

Here's Fat Albert from the 2006 Dayton Airshow:

[magslinger]

SONOBUOY PING!

Click on pic for past Navair pings.

Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
The only requirement for inclusion in the Navair Pinglist is an interest in Naval Aviation.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.

[RocketMan1]

Meh.

Those Mythbusters don’t have access to the brainpower that I have! ;^P

[fallujah-nuker]

[zot]

Thanks for the ping. I appreciated the comment about using JATO to help overloaded aircraft take off. From about 1955 to 1965, SAC B-47E aircraft on alert were equipped with 30 of the 1000-pound thrust bottles to help them take off from a 15,000 foot runway. (The B-47 was designed for 170,000 pounds gross weight; on alert they were loaded to 225,000 pounds gross weight.) It was a real kick in the butt when the rockets fired at 70 knots.