How was Graf Zeppelin's planned trolley aircraft-handling system supposed to work?
Short answerAircraft would move on rail-mounted trolleys from hangar to lift and launch position, gaining security at the cost of complexity and vulnerability.
NotesAircraft were to sit on rail-mounted trolleys that moved through the hangar, up the forward lifts, and into launch position. Returning aircraft would descend on the after lift and be craned onto trolleys again. The system would hold aircraft securely in rough weather and could permit launches in a wider range of conditions. Deck rails would be exposed to corrosion, or require covers that crews had to remove before use. Tracks through the hangar also constrained how aircraft could be moved and maintained. Damage to a track could obstruct launching, so reliable operation depended on keeping the system intact.