F14 developed a radio fault

Kevin's ramp is light weight so if your TomCat is fairly heavy then you need to make one out of 50mm waste pipe, rivets and a ply foot pedal like what I have. Plus 10 meters of surgical bungy doubled up too. Have you not seen mine John??? It is 2 meters long with 20 degree slope. Two meters is just enough to get it to flying speed. I have used it to launch wings, EDFs or anything with a hook. See the post below.

wimbornemac.org/forum/roll-calls/2498-tu...-june?start=10#22815

Might be worth trying out on mine to see if it will work for you. Any weaponry underneath might line up with launch tubes though. Hook position is critical though, forward of CG.

Thanks for that Kevin, but this is a pretty big plane and I cant really sit it on its wings to launch it because of the swing wing mechanism.

Yeah that ramp of Kevins is not going to work. Because of the weight of the model sitting on the wings and the swing wing mechanism and the close proximity of the tailerons launching it from that type of ramp is going to be difficult. I think it would have to be quite simply of a flat smooth board. I have protected the foam under the fus with some clear Perspex strips, where it would make contact whilst launching and landing. Eurofighter would launch of your ramp ok or the Hawk, but not the F14, I think it would leave the tailerons behind.

John, have you considered a drop off 'dolly' for take off rather than a ramp?

Hi Jon, no I have not really considered that. I have seen others try but without much success usually due to the bumps on the strip. Maybe a dolly attached to a bungee, that might work.

My suggestion is to experiment with a dolly on Phil launch ramp. Using simulated load you could asses the bungee requirements.

A recent Chech flop

www.dropbox.com/home?preview=IMG_8304.m4v

A more successful attempt - Dutch pulse team

www.dropbox.com/home?preview=IMG_6419.m4v