On Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:02:15 GMT, Anthony W
wrote:

Anybody remember that inflatable airplane Goodyear experimented with
after WWII? I would think launching something like that from a small
real sub would be the best way to accomplish this goal. Perhaps modern
materials could over come the problems with the first inflatable planes.

Tony
*****************************************

As I recall the inflatable airplane was to be air dropped to a downed
pilot and he could inflate (think the little engine had an air pump
built in????and take off and fly back to a safe area. Range was short.
Maybe 50 miles???

Others may have a better memory than mine but being a Fighter Pilot
was interested as I might have to use if they deployed it.

An other system they worked on and made a couple of practice
extractions, was a C-130 with a large "V" set of arms on the nose. A
nylon rope and harness with a balloon and a small cylinder of
compressed helium completed the ground set that was dropped to pilot
on the ground.

Pilot strapped himself into the harness and after making contact with
the recovery C-130 inflated the colored balloon and let the nylon rope
out to its full length. Pilot set on ground facing the approaching
aircraft and bird made a low pass and caught the nylon rope in the
center of the "V" where it actuated a locking device to hold the rope
tight. As bird flew over pilot and rope tightened it picked the pilot
up off the ground and he trailed the C-130. A crew in the back of bird
standing on the door, had a pole with a hook on it to catch the rope.
When rope was caught and pulled in the bird the crew then pulled the
extracted Pilot in and all went home happy to the bar (maybe mission
whisky from Flight Surgeon ).

I had some experience picking targets off the ground using a nylon
rope. Bird would pick up bridal and initiate a climb and target would
slowly lift off ground and move in the opposite direction of aircraft
flight for 5-10 feet and then as nylon rope felt the full weight it
acted like a big rubber band and the target accelerated smoothly to
the aircraft speed,

I'm sure the pilot retrieval system had the same characteristics and
downed pilot got a smooth low "G" ride.

Just another War story.

Big John