A prototype designed as a launchpad for World War Two bomber planes has been successfully excavated. This experimental catapult, constructed by the Royal Aircraft Establishment and identified as a Mark III, was discovered at an ongoing development location at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus situated in Oxfordshire.
Purpose-built to facilitate take-offs on significantly shorter runways, the catapult was designed to maximize fuel loading on aircraft during the crucial years of 1938-1940. During those times, the site was operational under the Royal Air Force Harwell.
The imposing structure was filled in by 1941, upon which a traditional runway was constructed over a section of it. Today, archaeologists have been meticulously excavating the arms of the intriguing catapult contraption.
Unfortunately, despite its ambitious design, the catapult project was abandoned before ever launching an aircraft. The mechanism was failing to maintain engine health and didn’t properly complement the design of the bomber planes, prompting officials to dismantle it. A normal runway was afterward constructed over the seat of the design.
Despite its short-lived intended purpose, the catapult project served as a stepping stone to the development of Catapult Armed Merchant (CAM) ships, which effectively launched Hawker Hurricanes at sea through the use of rocket-propelled catapults.
The catapult was designed to operate through a large rotating turntable. This would direct aircraft to one of two short concrete track runways, a meager 82m (269ft) in length. The aircraft was secured to an underground pneumatic ram by a towing hook. High-pressured air, supplied by Rolls-Royce Kestrel aero engines, was then forced into the ram, pushing it along the guided track and catapulting the aircraft into the sky.
The Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA), who are orchestrating the excavation, have been able make a 3D digital replica of the catapult remains. Project officer Susan Porter reflects on the implications: “This fascinating structure reminds us of the rapid experimentation and innovation of the interwar years and World War Two”. Porter also emphasized the importance of preserving the catapult’s location and appearance for future generations to learn and draw insights from.
The remnants of the catapult, however, have been dismantled to allow the continuation of construction works in the area, with the pieces being dutifully archived. Large, vintage runway lights and a Spigot Mortar-type gun emplacement used for defending the runway from potential attacks were also found in the vicinity during the excavation process.
