Fleetwings BQ-1
XBQ-1 | |
---|---|
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Role | Flying bomb |
National origin | United States |
Manufacturer | Fleetwings |
First flight | May 1944 |
Primary user | United States Army Air Forces |
Number built | 1 |
Variants | Fleetwings BQ-2 |
The Fleetwings BQ-1 was an early expendable
Development
Development of the BQ-1 began on July 10, 1942, under a program for the development of "aerial torpedoes" – unmanned aircraft carrying internal bombs – that had been instigated in March of that year. Fleetwings was contracted to build a single XBQ-1 assault drone,
Flight testing
Following trials of the television-based command guidance system using a PQ-12 target drone, and earlier trials of the XBQ-2A, the XBQ-1 flew in May 1944; however, the aircraft crashed on 17 July 1944 due to engine failure just after take-off from Wright Field. Following the loss of the lone prototype BQ-1, the project was cancelled.[1]
Specifications (XBQ-1)
Data from [2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1 (optional)
- Wingspan: 48 ft 7 in (14.81 m)
- Gross weight: 7,700 lb (3,493 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Franklin O-405-7 opposed piston engines, 225 hp (168 kW) each
Performance
- Cruise speed: 225 mph (362 km/h, 196 kn)
- Range: 1,717 mi (2,763 km, 1,492 nmi)
Armament
- 2,000 pounds (910 kg) warhead
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Parsch, Andreas (2005). "Fleetwings BQ-1/2". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, Appendix 1: Early Missiles and Drones. designation-systems.net. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
- Werrell, Kenneth P. (1985). The Evolution of the Cruise Missile. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air University Press. ISBN 978-1478363057.