QB-17G Ditchers Dream

[Duggy009]

Looking at the two videos posted, I think the B-17 definitely looks to be stronger. IMO
A couple more photo's.From the USAF.
A crewless B-17 Flying Fortress "Drone" aircraft of the US Air Force 1361st Photographic Squadron starts its record-breaking 2,600-mile flight from Hilo Naval Air Station, Hawaii, to Muroc Army Air Field, California, August 6, 1946. The drone, one of two which successfully completed "Operation Remote", setting an endurance record for remote controlled aircraft, is shown as it rises into the air shortly after take-off. The flight, which was under the direction of Brig. Gen. William L. Richardson, Chief of Army Air Forces, Guided Missile Division, lasted 14 hours and 55 minutes before the first plane touched down at Muroc. Both drones were veterans of the Bikini atom-bomb tests in which they were flown by remote-control into the radioactive bomb clouds.

[ffuries]

The ditching tests were done in the Choctawhatchee Bay near Eglin AFB.

[daviemax]

QB-17G serial 44-83603 was lost during a Nike test 4 December 1951 when a control system failure caused the aircraft to be lost after a near-miss by the attacking missile. Source: 3205 Drone Group narrative history.

[Chris Brame]

I found the crash test footage - it was from Operation Hermit at Wendover, starring ex-trainer B-17F 42-5484:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXlfiPejcrI





Thanks to Brad and WaltW on the Wreckchasing Message Board.
http://pacaeropress.websitetoolbox.com/ ... sh-8173698

[CoastieJohn]

A tidbit of information in this newspaper talking about Operation Crossroads and the remote controlled aircraft. The B-29 that dropped the A Bomb was "Dave's Dream". Along with the B-17's there was also radio controlled Hellcats involved.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid= ... 2128&hl=en

This has the story of one of the drone pilots telling what it was like to fly near the A Bomb explosion. He was hit with some radiation.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid= ... 8302&hl=en

The Ghost Hellcats
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid= ... 2935&hl=en

This talks about the two radio controlled B-17's, one pictured above, that flew from Hawaii to Cali. Near Cali they dropped a couple of dummy bombs remote controlled of course.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid= ... 0412&hl=en

[hercules130]

Two below via the late Dave Menard:

Great lesson in prop slip!

G

[bdk]

I found the crash test footage - it was from Operation Hermit at Wendover

Dig the Culver PQ-14 footage as well!

[Triplane102]

Thanks for this post, Duggy009, & to everyone else for their input ! Great subject !!