Which aircraft pioneered nose-tow catapult launches?

Short answer

An E-2A Hawkeye: on December 19, 1962, with naval aviator Lee Ramsey at the controls, it was catapulted from USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) in the first sea trial of the nose-tow gear, the nose-gear towing system designed to replace catapult bridles and shorten the interval between launches.

Published: November 5, 2026 · Updated: November 5, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Which aircraft pioneered nose-tow catapult launches?

US Navy 030302 N-4953E 004 An E2 C Hawkeye assigned to the Seahawks of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron One Two Six (VAW-126) maneuvers for a night time catapult launch off the flight deck

The Test Aboard Enterprise

On December 19, 1962, an E-2A Hawkeye, flown by naval aviator Lee Ramsey, was catapulted from the flight deck of USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) during the first sea trial of a nose-tow gear, a towing system attached to the nose landing gear. The device was designed to replace the catapult bridle system and to reduce the time needed between aircraft launches on carriers.

The Deck Hookup

Like all CATOBAR carrier aircraft, the E-2 carries a tailhook for recovery — landing — and its nose gear can be attached to the carrier catapult's shuttle for launch, that is, takeoff.

The Tracer It Replaced

The Grumman E-2 Hawkeye replaced the Grumman E-1 Tracer in the mid-1960s. The E-1 was a carrier-based airborne early warning aircraft with a crew of four: two flight crew and two radar/interception controllers. It was derived from the C-1 Trader, itself derived from the S-2 Tracker; 88 were built and it served between 1960 and 1977. The WF/E-1, with its distinctive radome, was known as "Stoof with a Roof."