Originally Posted by
ORAC
Touch n' go F4B from Ranger, doesn't suggest they actually trapped. Includes the comment that the aircrew found her deck "terrifyingly small". Proves the deck was strong enough (I hope!) - I think the issue was more likely to be "long" traps, where the aircraft misses the target wire and ends up trapping the last wire. Run-out on that for an aircraft bringing anything back (assuming ditch fuel for minimum trap weight), particularly if off-centre would have been "interesting". Particularly with Hermes' forward lift as part of that area. It's actually a similar issue to that which led to CdG having the deck edge extension fitted to accommodate the E2.
While the studies said the F4 "could" operate from Hermes, I suspect the operational window would have been tiny. You'd need max chat to get the most WoD and in any sort of seaway, a relatively small short ship like Hermes is going to have a lot of movement at both the rounddown and the touchdown point, which even with a 4 degree glideslope is going to result in a lot of long traps or bolters.
So while the cats probably had enough oomph, trapping on an operational (as opposed to trials) basis would have been very tricky.