The German aircraft carriers Graf Zeppelin was intended to launch aircraft using compressed air catapults. It was concluded that given the design intended to be used, it would take 50 minutes for the air reservoirs to recharge after launching an attack wave.
My question is this: is it possible to make a compressed air catapult to launch jet aircraft that doesn't take as long as Graf Zeppelin would have had to recharge the air reservoirs. It could be used on ships that don't generate steam, like gas turbine and/or diesel powered warships.
I'm thinking a modern design might include elements similar to those used in air actuated systems, like that used in the air brakes of commercial trucks and trains. In these systems, compressed air is stored in a series of reservoir tanks, before being fed to the individual braking systems.
My idea is that the catapult system would use two or more reservoirs, with one reservoir being fed directly by a compressor, while a regulator would transfer compressed air to the second reservoir. Thus, while the catapult is in use, the compressor can continue to operate, filling the first reservoir which feeds air to the second once the second reservoir's pressure goes below a certain threshold.