page_title: CAM ship
section_title: Take-off procedure
hierarchical_section_title: CAM ship / Take-off procedure
caption_attribution_description: A Royal Air Force Hawker Hurricane Mk IA is launched from a CAM (Catapult Armed Merchant) Ship at Greenock, Scotland (UK). The first RAF trial CAM launch was from SS Empire Rainbow at Greenock on the River Clyde on 31 May 1941, the Hurricane landed at Abbotsinch.
context_page_description: CAM ships were World War II-era British merchant ships used in convoys as an emergency stop-gap until sufficient escort carriers became available. CAM ship is an acronym for catapult aircraft merchant ship.
  They were equipped with a rocket-propelled catapult launching a single Hawker Hurricane, dubbed a "Hurricat" or "Catafighter" to destroy or drive away an attacking bomber. Normally the Hurricane fighter would be lost when the pilot then bailed out or ditched in the ocean near the convoy. CAM ships continued to carry their normal cargoes after conversion.
  The concept was developed and tested by the five fighter catapult ships, commissioned as warships and commanded and crewed by the Royal Navy – but the CAM ships were merchant vessels, commanded and crewed by the Merchant Navy.
context_section_description: The trolley receiving bar was removed at dawn.
  The airmen started the aircraft and warmed up the engine at intervals.
  The pilot climbed into the aircraft when enemy aircraft were reported.
  The ship hoisted the international flag code F when the decision was made to launch. (CAM ships were usually stationed at the head of the outboard port column of a convoy so they could manoeuvre into the wind for launch.)
  An airman removed the pins, showed them to the pilot, and took them to the Catapult Duty Officer (CDO).
  The pilot applied 30 degree flaps and 1/3 right rudder.
  The CDO raised a blue flag above his head to inform the ship's master of his readiness to launch.
  The ship's master manoeuvred the ship into the wind and raised a blue flag above his head to authorise the launch. (The ship's master stood on the starboard bridge wing to avoid the catapult rocket blast which sometimes damaged the port side of the bridge.)
  The CDO waved his blue flag indicating he was ready to launch upon a signal from the pilot.
  The pilot opened full throttle, tightened the throttle friction nut, pressed his head back into the head-rest, pressed his right elbow tightly against his hip, and lowered his left hand as a signal to launch.
  The CDO counted to three, waited for the bow to rise from the trough of a swell, and moved the switch to fire the catapult rockets.
caption: Test launch of a Hurricane at Greenock, Scotland, 31 May 1941
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