JATO vs. RATO

 

Every once in a while, someone wonders why rocket-assisted takeoff is called JATO (Jet Assisted Takeoff) instead. According to Captain Robert C. Truax, who was literally the Navy's rocket scientist (also see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Truax), it was as follows:

"My job at the Bureau of Aeronautics (beginning in 1946) was to set up a permanent jet propulsion deck and to draw up a program for the Bureau to pursue in the field of rocket development. Since at the time 'rocket' was a science-fiction term associated only with crackpots, the term 'jet propulsion' was always used. My program included the setting up of an in-house Navy project at the Engineering Experiment Station to develop liquid-propellant JATOs for the PBY airplane as well as rocket propulsion for guided missiles, sounding rockets, and manned aircraft."

It appears that JATO was generally used to describe solid-fuel propellant takeoff assist and subsequently thrust enhancement using liquid-fuel propulsion was at least sometimes described as a rocket engine.

For my post on his rocket-powered, manned interceptor proposal, see:

 https://thanlont.blogspot.com/2012/11/and-now-for-something-completely.html

For some of my other posts on JATO, see:

 https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2013/07/jato.html

https://thanlont.blogspot.com/2017/07/f8u-3-auxiliary-rocket-engine.html

https://thanlont.blogspot.com/2011/01/truculent-turtle.html 

https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2018/09/special-hobby-fh-1-phantom-and-xfd-1.html

https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2020/04/lockheed-p2v-3-neptune.html