Wish you could launch your over-gross Wellington but you won't clear the trees at the end of the field...?
The Royal Aircraft Establishment was working on the solution - just 'chuck'em into the sky'

OK, so there may have been some technical obstacles, but...

Archaeologists Unearth World War II-Era Air Catapult System In UK

Click image for larger version.  Name: 23-10-12-AVFlash-RAE-catapult.jpg  Views: 41  Size: 76.3 KB  ID: 91975

https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/...-system-in-uk/

and the Twitter (X) thread on the subject with additional links: https://twitter.com/WW2Airfields/status/1712029494637117779