Launch

The open hatch is to the elevator from the forward magazine, which delivers bombs and missiles to the flight deck in preparatoin for combat missions.	An ordnanceman pushes a Sparrow missile towards an F4J Phantom prior to lauch.
An A7 is loaded with 500-pound bombs.	An RF5C Vigilante taxis to the launch pad. Notice the wing walker. Extra pay.
A Phantom taxis into position as the Vigilante gets hooked up for launch.	An F4J extends its nose gear just before launch. The original low-rider.
And away we go, after-burners ablaze. The noise level is extremely high at this point.	When the catapult hits the end of its run and slams to an abrupt stop, the entire ship shudders for an instant.
Here's one place you don't want to be during launch operations.	Here's another.