Fleetwings BQ-2

XBQ-2
Role	Flying bomb
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Fleetwings
First flight	1943
Primary user	United States Army Air Forces
Number built	1
Variants	Fleetwings BQ-1

The Fleetwings BQ-2 was an early expendable unmanned aerial vehicle — referred to at the time as an "assault drone" — developed by Fleetwings during the Second World War for use by the United States Army Air Forces. Only a single example of the type was built; the aircraft was deemed too expensive for service and was cancelled after a brief flight testing career.

Development

Development of the BQ-2 began on 10 July 1942, under a program for the development of "aerial torpedoes" – unmanned flying bombs – that had been instigated in March of that year. Fleetwings was contracted to build a single XBQ-2 assault drone, powered by two Lycoming XO-435 horizontally opposed piston engines, and fitted with a fixed landing gear in tricycle configuration; the landing gear was jettisonable for better aerodynamics.

The BQ-2 was optionally piloted; a single-seat cockpit was installed for ferry and training flights; a fairing would replace the cockpit canopy on operational missions. The BQ-2 was intended to carry a 2,000 pounds (910 kg) warhead over a range of 1,717 miles (2,763 km) at 225 miles per hour (362 km/h); the aircraft would be destroyed in the act of striking the target. A single BQ-1 was to be constructed as well under the same contract.

Flight testing

The XO-435 engines were dropped from the design of the XBQ-2 before completion, being replaced by two Lycoming R-680 radial engines, with the aircraft being redesignated XBQ-2A.

Following trials of the television-based command guidance system using a PQ-12 target drone, the XBQ-2A flew in mid 1943; following flight trials, the design was determined to be too expensive for operational use, and the program was cancelled in December of that year.

Specifications (XBQ-2A)

The XBQ-2A.

Data from

General characteristics

• Crew: 1 (optional)
• Wingspan: 48 ft 7 in (14.81 m)
• Gross weight: 7,700 lb (3,493 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Lycoming R-680-13 radial piston engines, 280 hp (210 kW) each

Armament

• 2,000 pounds (910 kg) warhead

See also

Related development

• Fleetwings BQ-1

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Fairchild BQ-3
• Interstate TDR

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Andrade, John (1979). U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Leicester, UK: Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 0-904597-22-9.
• 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 22 January 2013.
• Werrell, Kenneth P. (1985). The Evolution of the Cruise Missile. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air University Press. ISBN 978-1478363057.