Have seen 2 Gannets do free take offs from aircraftcarriers!!!!! one steaming into wind, and one at anchor. Not sure if they could get airborne, with a ramp set up, The one steaming into wind was the Victorious. The one at anchor was the Hermes pre ramp
I vividly recall doing one free take-off in the COD Gannet whilst VICTORIOUS was at anchor off Dar - and the reason I recall it so well was that there was a remarkable absence of wind over the deck and an even more remarkable presence of wake over the sea as we dipped off the deck and then climbed away!
Jack