Forum: Modern Military Aircraft

Forum Veteran Joined: Dec 15, 2006 - 12:28 AM Posts: 760

The “Brodie System” was an igneous system it was also incredible this system was kept a secret for so long. Even now that it is unclassified it is hardly known. It was a cheap system to lunch and recover light planes like at sea or rough terrain. The planes were used to spot enemy locations and to direct the ships fire.

The Brodie System was invented during World War II. A pilot could take off or land with the aircraft hooked to a trolley that ran along a cable. On landing, the trolley provided braking for a smooth stop. The cable and trolley could be rigged on very short jungle fields, or even on ships.

1st picture: Piper L-4, engine running, is ready for take-off while suspended from its cable.

2nd: A light aircraft could take off or land on a ship using the cable.

3rd: This Stinson L-5B may have just landed by snagging a loop attached to a trolley riding on the cable.

4th: Riggers hooked this L-5B to the cable before take-off. Captain James H. Brodie, inventor, is on the left.

Can you imagine flying to catch a nylon loop when there were only four feet between the spinning prop and the hook?

Source
http://www.aerofiles.com/brodie-rig.html
http://www.nasm.si.edu/udvarhazycenter/ ... mageID=321

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Cool

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Looks like current carrier pilots wouldn't have too much trouble with that - they have to use probe and drogue tanking and are used to close confines Wink

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Looks like fun Wink

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It would take a braver man than me to do it Two Cents

Tim,

You obviously aren't from SoCal or Vegas - we do more death defying precision maneuvers and collision avoidance exercises on our morning freeway commute than most communist air force pilots do in thier aircraft all year Laughing

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Hey, I rode a motorcycle through New York City during rush hour, been on two wheels at 143 mph, Bungee jumped 180 ft and hit the water(waist deep I might add)... But that, my friend, just looks INSANE Laughing

I've never heard about this. Very cool! Thanks!!

Tim,

OK, I'll admit you've got guts Very Happy

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For true insanity, check out the ride "Insanity" on top of the Stratosphere tower here in Vegas Laughing

! No sierra - two teenage girls got stuck on it at about 0200 during high winds for about two hours Shocked

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Huggy,

If the U-2 had never been equipped with a tailhook, I'll bet it could fly slow enough to use this Smile

. Just have to make the hook retractable to decrease drag Wink

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Seems alot like some of the systems for those planes that were carried by other planes, or the blimp airships. Quite ingenious though.

Forum: Modern Military Aircraft

A WWII secret. “A Runway On a Rope” (Brodie system)