Evolution of the carrier deck

This video traces the evolution of the landing surface, a.k.a. the carrier deck from H.M.S. Argus, completed near the end of World War I, to the Essex-class fleet carriers of World War II. You’ll learn about how the arresting gear evolved from wires attached to sandbags, cross-deck and fore-and-aft pendants and when the tailhook was invented. The focus is on the Royal and U.S. Navies primarily because they have traditionally been the largest operators of conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) carriers. At the end of the show, Marc discusses the operating doctrines and philosophies of the Royal and U.S. Navies and the typical daily operating cycle of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier in the Pacific during World War II.