WebOct 3, 2024 · The Kettering Aerial Torpedo—a cruise missile prototype—was tested a century ago southeast of Arcadia at Carlstrom Field. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE DESOTO COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY The first test flight in September 1918 failed because of a faulty engine carburetor and a misadjusted control system. WebOct 19, 2024 · The Kettering Bug was built to fly, and then it was built to crash. If there is a touchstone for my writing on drones and robots and missiles and war, it is this old bad machine, an aerial torpedo built for World War I that never saw combat. It is the ancestor of drones and cruise missiles and, most especially, of loitering munitions, a ...
WebApr 8, 2015 · April 8, 2015. Look -- up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! No -- it’s a bug! Despite all the drone talk lately, unmanned flight isn’t a recent accomplishment. Its roots … WebApr 8, 2015 · The Bug was powered by a four-cylinder, 40-horsepower engine built by Henry Ford. The engine was built according to the specifications of Kettering for the proper working of the automatic controls to keep the vehicle at the proper altitude during its flight. The Bug was launched on a four-wheel dolly down a track in order to ensure a straight ... bnc connector thread
The Kettering BUG Award - The Engineers Club of Dayton
WebApr 5, 2024 · The Kettering Bug had a gross weight of 530 pounds, 12 ½ foot length, 15 foot wingspan, top speed of 50mph, range of 75 miles, and the ability to carry a 180 pound warhead. The fuselage was made of wood laminates and papier-mache and the wings of cardboard. It was launched using a track and dolly system. WebApr 20, 2016 · The Kettering Aerial Torpedo, nicknamed the Bug, was an early unmanned aircraft and progenitor of the cruise missile. After flying for a pre-set time, guided by a small gyroscope, the engine was ... WebApr 2, 2024 · The Army developed the “Kettering Bug” with the help of Charles Kettering and the famed Orville Wright. The “Bug” relied on an auto-pilot system to maintain steady … bnc cpg rachetable