Radioplane OQ-6
| OQ-6 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Target drone |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Radioplane Company |
| First flight | November 1944 |
| Primary user | United States Army Air Forces |
The Radioplane OQ-6 was a target drone developed by the Radioplane Company under the designation RP-14 and evaluated by the United States Army Air Forces for service use. A small number were procured, but major production contracts were cancelled by the end of World War II.
Design and development
[edit]The Radioplane RP-14 was a small aircraft of conventional design, with a strut-braced monoplane wing and conventional empennage; power was from a Righter O-45 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed piston engine. An improved version, the RP-15, replaced the O-45 with a McCulloch O-90. The airframe was improved over the company's preceding OQ-3, with improved streamlining.[1]
Operational history
[edit]The RP-14 first flew in November 1944; designated OQ-6 by the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF), evaluation led to the development of the improved RP-15, designated OQ-6A, and orders for production of the aircraft in quantity were placed. These orders were cancelled due to the end of World War II; however, some OQ-6s, redesignated XOQ-6A, were still in service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1948.[1]
Variants and operators
[edit]- RP-14
- Initial version powered by Righter O-45[1]
- OQ-6
- USAAF designation of RP-14.[1]
- RP-15
- Improved version of RP-14 with 60 hp (45 kW) McCulloch O-90;[1] top speed 195 miles per hour (314 km/h).[2]
- OQ-6A
- USAAF designation of RP-15.[1]
- XOQ-6A
- USAF redesignation of surviving OQ-6s and OQ-6As.[1]
Specifications (OQ-6)
[edit]Data from Parsch 2003[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: None
- Length: 10 ft (3.0 m)
- Wingspan: 14 ft (4.3 m)
- Gross weight: 295 lb (134 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Righter O-45 horizontally-opposed piston engine, 22 hp (16 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 168 mph (270 km/h, 146 kn)
See also
[edit]Related lists
References
[edit]- Citations
- Bibliography
- Churchill, Edward (March 1946). "Aerial Robots". Flying. Vol. 38, no. 3. Chicago: Ziff-Davis Publishing. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
- Parsch, Andreas (18 March 2003). "Radioplane OQ-6". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, Appendix 1: Early Missiles and Drones. Designation-Systems. Retrieved 2017-12-11.