U.S. NAVY P-6 CATAPULT & ACCESSORIES

In the early 1930s the U.S. Navy was beginning to feel the age of the current gunpowder fired catapult for capital ships, the P-5. Work began on its successor, the P-6. The P-6 design matured quickly, but the Depression led to it's slow implementation in the fleet. By 1938 or so, it would seem that all of the Battleships and Cruisers had the new P-6, but a lack of prewar photos, however, makes this uncertain.

 

The P-6 Catapult was the ultimate U.S. Navy & Coast Guard Battleship/Cruiser catapult, and some were found on various Seaplane Tenders and even a couple of Fletcher class destroyers. The arrangement of the catapult was fairly standard across the fleet, but the 'turret mounted' catapults differed significantly in both framework and machinery arrangements, but the "guts" were identical. This set is meant to represent a "deck mounted" catapult, which is largely identical in arrangement to the "tower mounted" catapults found on the pre-war Heavy Cruisers and Alaska Class Large Cruisers.

 

The Catapult Display Base

       

    

 

 

This display base is a truncated central section of the catapult that includes the base ring.

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72-101    $35 + S&H
48-101 $50 + S&H
32-101   $100+S&H

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The Shipboard "Trolley"

This is the tall trolley found in several photos, including here:

72-102-PIX.jpg (120366 bytes)    72-102.png (40191 bytes)

72-102    $15 + S&H
48-102  $25 + S&H
32-102 $35+S&H

 

 

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The "Trolley" (ashore and on a few ships)

This trolley is a simplified version of a transport trolley found in several photos with SOC/OS2U aircraft secured to them. There are several versions of this in photos, some with the on-track catapult supports, some with three supports, some with even 5 and 6 supports. Some even have small "railroad" style wheels! Nautilus chose to use the USS Alabama style wheel frame with the 'hollowed' pontoon floats that seem to be more standard during the war.

72-103.png (52584 bytes)

   
72-103    $15 + S&H
48-103  $25 + S&H
32-103  $35+S&H

 

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The USS Alabama "trolley"

This trolley is a simplified version of a transport trolley found in the USS Alabama Museum hangar building with the OS2U aboard the trolley.

72-104.png (51191 bytes)    BB60 203.jpg (1187822 bytes)    BB60 204.jpg (1051378 bytes)    BB60 205.jpg (1282306 bytes)    BB60 206.jpg (1025180 bytes)    BB60 207.jpg (816106 bytes)    BB60 208.jpg (889398 bytes)

BB60 209.jpg (969598 bytes)    BB60 210.jpg (1043360 bytes)    BB60 211.jpg (1055834 bytes)    BB60 199.jpg (1072398 bytes)    BB60 200.jpg (922202 bytes)    BB60 201.jpg (1157322 bytes)    BB60 202.jpg (1168114 bytes)

   
72-104 $15 + S&H
48-104  $25 + S&H
32-104  $35+S&H

 

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Early "lightweight" X-cross "Trolley"

This trolley is found in many prewar and wartime photos, especially on cruisers,

 

72-105.png (13726 bytes)

   
72-105 $10 + S&H
48-105  $20 + S&H
32-105  $30+S&H

 

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5-Brace "Trolley"

This trolley is found in many prewar and wartime photos, especially on cruisers, which feature the SOC Seagull.

72-106.png (25793 bytes)

   
72-106    $10 + S&H
48-106  $20 + S&H
32-106  $30+S&H

 

REFERENCE PHOTOS:

I have taken and hosted 254 photos of the last P-6 Catapult aboard the USS ALABAMA (BB-60) as a reference to all those wishing to further detail out my catapult sets.

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