Product Information

Aft view of Boeing XB-47 just before take off to Edwards Air Force Base, California. Note the "RATO", Rocket Assist Take Off, ports on the aft fuselage. JATO stands for 'Jet-assisted take off' (and the similar RATO for 'Rocket-assisted take off'). In the JATO and RATO systems, additional engines are mounted on the airframe which are used only during take off so plane can carry heavy loads.