Kettering bug
The Kettering Bug was an unmanned missile developed and tested in the USA from 1917 to 1920 by Charles Kettering , which today would fall under the term cruise missile .
construction
The fuselage and the wings of the aircraft, designed as a biplane, consisted of glued wood covered with fabric and paper. A 37 hp motor with a propeller served as drive. It was controlled by a simple gyro compass . The range could be limited by a counter that switched off the engine after the calculated number of revolutions for the planned distance and released the wing attachment. The wings fell off and the fuselage crashed into the target on a ballistic trajectory. The payload could be carried about 100 kilometers and consisted of about 80 kilograms of explosives, which were detonated on impact.
It was started by a four-wheeled dolly that drove on rails.
history
Development began in 1917. After an unsuccessful take-off attempt on October 2, 1918, the first flight took place on October 4. It lasted 45 minutes in which the prototype drew large circles instead of flying straight ahead. Despite the failure, 75 bugs were ordered, but fewer than 50 were built. During the First World War the Kettering Bug was not ready for series production. The project was therefore abandoned because there was no longer any need for this weapon, especially since it was not reliable due to the technology used.
In the National Museum of the United States Air Force a replica of is since 1964 Bug issued.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| length | 3.80 m |
| span | 4.60 m |
| Weight | 240 kg |
| speed | 185 km / h |
| Service ceiling | 3650 m |
| Range | > 100 km |
| drive | Wills / DePalma 4-cylinder piston engine (27 kW / 37 PS) |
| Warhead weight | 80 kg |
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ First cruise missile - Kettering's Bug. travelforaircraft.wordpress.com, April 1, 2011, accessed November 25, 2012 .
- ^ Kettering Bug. daviddarling.info, accessed November 25, 2012 .
- ↑ The 'Aerial Target' and 'Aerial Torpedo' in the USA. ctie.monash.edu, accessed November 25, 2012 .
- ^ Aircraft I Have Met. Highroad.smugmug.com, accessed November 25, 2012 .
- ↑ a b Dayton Wright / Kettering Liberty Eagle ("Bug"). designation-systems.net, May 12, 2005, accessed November 25, 2012 .
- ↑ a b KETTERING AERIAL TORPEDO “BUG”. (No longer available online.) Nationalmuseum.af.mil, March 21, 2007, archived from the original on October 17, 2012 ; Retrieved November 25, 2012 .