full scale

Description

This rare film shows testing of TDN-1 Torpedo Drone aircraft, including aircraft carrier suitability tests conducted on the Great Lakes aboard the "carrier" USS Sable. The TDN-1 was the prototype of a new class of weapon, an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle, but was cancelled due to cost. In its place a new weapon was developed, the TDR-1 Torpedo Drone. Developed in total secrecy during the early stages of the war by the U.S. Navy, the TDR-1 could carry a torpedo or bombs which it could drop on a target (or, it could ram a target and use its fuel as part of the attack). The drone was designed primarily as an anti-ship weapon and intended to be deployed aboard U.S. aircraft carriers. It was controlled by a pilot on the ground or in a chase aircraft at a distance of up to several miles. Although the TDR-1 was never deployed to the full extent its designers imagined, the primitive aircraft did have a full scale service test in 1944. TDR-1s were sent to the South Pacific and flown under combat conditions against Japanese gun emplacements and buildings, and with considerable effect. This rare film shows TDR-1s striking a target ship during the deployment. Despite the success of this test and their fairly impressive combat record the TDR-1 project was scrapped prior to the end of the war. Visit http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/investigation/drone-propeller/ to see a History Detectives episode about this weapon system. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com