Radioplane OQ-2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioplane_OQ-2

The OQ-2 Radioplane was the first mass-produced UAV or drone in the United
States, manufactured by the Radioplane Company. A follow-on version, the OQ-3,
became the most widely used target aircraft in US service, with over 9,400 being
built during World War II.

The OQ-2 was originally a small radio controlled aircraft model designed by
Walter Righter. The design, along with its engine design, was purchased by actor
Reginald Denny, who had demonstrated another model to the US Army in 1940.
Calling the new design the RP-2, he demonstrated several updated versions to the
Army as the RP-2, RP-3 and RP-4 in 1939.

In 1940, the Army placed an order for 53 RP-4s, designating them the OQ-1, the
OQ meaning a "subscale target". This small order led to a much bigger 1941 order
for the similar RP-5, which became the US Army OQ-2. The US Navy also bought the
drone, designating it TDD-1, for Target Drone, Denny, 1. Thousands were built,
manufactured at the Radioplane plant at the Van Nuys Airport in the Los Angeles
metropolitan area.

It was at this factory on June 26, 1945 that Army photographer David Conover saw
a young woman assembler named Norma Jeane Dougherty, who he thought had
potential as a model. She was photographed in the plant, which led to a screen
test for Norma Jeane, who soon changed her name to Marilyn Monroe.

OQ-1, OQ-2, OQ-3, OQ-7, OQ-13, and OQ-14


Role
Target drone

National origin
United States

Manufacturer
Radioplane

First flight
1939

Primary user
USAAF

Number built
ca. 15,000

The OQ-2 was a simple aircraft, powered by a two-cylinder two-cycle piston
engine, providing 6 horsepower (4.5 kW) and driving two contra-rotating
propellers. The RC control system was built by Bendix. Launching was by catapult
only and recovered by parachute should it survive the target practice. The
landing gear was used only on the OQ-2 versions as sold to the Army to cushion
the landing by parachute. None of the drones including the improved variants
shipped to the Navy had landing gear. The subsequent variants delivered to the
Army did not have landing gear.

The OQ-2 led to a series of similar but improved variants, with the OQ-3 / TDD-2
and OQ-14 / TDD-3 produced in quantity. A number of other target drones were
built by Radioplane (including licensed contractors) and competing companies
during the war, most of which never got beyond prototype stage, which accounts
for the gaps in the designation sequence between "OQ-3" and "OQ-14".

After World War II ended, various experiment were made with Radioplane target
drones. In one experiment in 1950, a derivative of the QQ-3 Radioplane drone was
used to lay military communication wire.

During the war Radioplane manufactured nearly fifteen thousand drones. The
company was bought by Northrop in 1952.

Specifications (OQ-2)

General characteristics
Crew: none
Length: 8 ft 8 in (2.65 m)
Wingspan: 12 ft 3 in (3.73 m)
Gross weight: 104 lb (47 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Righter O-15-1, 7 hp (5 kW)

Performance
Maximum speed: 85 mph (137 km/h)
Endurance: 1 hours 0 min





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