VMCJ-1 RF-4B tensioned in the port bow catapult aboard USS Midway. This is a good view of how the bridle is attached to the a/c. It is one continuous cable with a loop on each end that attaches to an aft facing hook inside each wing. At the end of the catapult shot, as the RF-4B leaves the deck, the bridle slips out of the hooks. The bridle is reusable as it is captured before going overboard. All current USN carrier aircraft have a launch bar attached to the nose gear that has replaced the old bridle hookup.