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XGAM-71 Buck Duck
| Convair XGAM-71 Buck Duck | |
|---|---|
| An XGAM-71 on the underwing of its mothership. | |
| Type | Decoy missile |
| Manufacturer | Convair |
| Maiden flight | 1955-02-14 |
| Introduced | n/a |
| Status | Cancelled January 1956 |
| Primary user | Strategic Air Command |
The XGAM-71 Buck Duck was a decoy missile that was developed by Convair in the late 1950s. It was intended to have the same radar signature as the Strategic Air Command's B-36 bomber, thereby allowing it to disrupt the enemy's air defenses and dilute their effort to shoot down an incoming bomber fleet.
Convair built the first prototype using their own funds, but received an official development contract from the United States Air Force on 16 August 1954. The project designation was MX-2224. When the Air Force decided to put the project into production, it received the designation GAM-71.[1]
As initially envisioned by the Air Force, one B-36 in the typical three-plane attack formation would be filled entirely with GAM-71s, carrying a total of seven. A total of two decoys could be carried in each bomb bay (except three), and a mixed load was also possible although the Air Force did not specify that it intended to use mixed loads.
To fit in the bomb bay of a B-36, the GAM-71 was relatively small; its wings were folded when it was stowed in the bay. To mimic the radar cross-section of the B-36, it carried radar reflectors.
In February 1955, glide tests of XGAM-71 prototypes began using a modified B-29 Superfortress as the mothership. However, the program was delayed due to funding issues. Convair also had higher priorities. A total of seven flights were conducted before the program was cancelled in January 1956, an event that Jenkins attributes to the imminent B-36 phase-out.[2]
Specifications
Data from Magnesium Overcast[3], The Evolution of the Cruise Missile[4]
General characteristics
- Length: 13 ft (4.0 m)
- Wingspan: 14 ft (4.3 m)
- Height: ft in (m)
- Loaded weight: 1,550 lb (703 kg)
Performance
- Cruise speed: Mach 0.55
- Range: 200 nm (230 mi, 370 km)
References
- ↑ "Convair Development Department Annual Report 1953" (1954-05-27), page 7, and "Convair Development Department Fourth Annual Report" (1955-09-08), page 23.
Cited by Jenkins. Both may be found at the Aerospace Education Center, Little Rock, Arkansas. - ↑ Werrell, Kenneth P. (September 1985). The Evolution of the Cruise Missile. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Air University Press, pages 123-124.
- ↑ Jenkins, Dennis R. (September 2002). Magnesium Overcast. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, page 142. ISBN 1-58007-042-6.
- ↑ Armstrong, Ferrest E., "From New Technology Development to Operational Usefulness – B-36, B-58, F-111/FB/111", cited by Werrell.
- Parsch, Andreas (2002-12-01). Convair GAM-71 Buck Duck. Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. Retrieved on 2007-01-09.
See also
Comparable aircraft
Designation sequence
|
|
RB-69 | - | XB-70 | - | SR-71 |
| IM-69 | IM-70 | XGAM-71 - GAM-72 - XSM-73 - SM-75 |
Related lists
See also
Lists relating to aviation | |
|---|---|
| General | Timeline of aviation · Aircraft · Aircraft manufacturers · Aircraft engines · Aircraft engine manufacturers · Airports · Airlines |
| Military | Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft |
| Notable incidents and accidents | Military aviation · Airliners · General aviation · Famous aviation-related deaths |
| Records | Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft |
Lists relating to aviation | |
|---|---|
| General | Timeline of aviation · Aircraft · Aircraft manufacturers · Aircraft engines · Aircraft engine manufacturers · Airports · Airlines |
| Military | Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft |
| Notable incidents and accidents | Military aviation · Airliners · General aviation · Famous aviation-related deaths |
| Records | Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft |
| This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "XGAM-71 Buck Duck". |
