[ARC5] WWII Homing Missiles

[Robert Eleazer]

There were only three true homing missiles used in WWII.

The US. Navy was the first to use a homing missile in combat, with its acoustic homing torpedo.  It was air launched, homed in on U-boats and had a high success rate.  

The most sophisticated homing missile of WWII was the USN's Bat, which was a true fire-and-forget radar guided weapon launched from PB4Y-2's of VPB-109 late in the war.  I did some research on it at the Smithsonian, went out to the USN China Lake facility where I photographed one that is on display.

The Germans had an acoustic homing torpedo that was designed to enable U-boats to attack escort vessels but it was not as successful as the USN's.

The Germans, the USAAF and the USN had air to surface missiles but they did not home on the target but employed an operator in an aircraft to guide the missile.  Some of the missiles were modified B-17's and B-24's.  The USN's modified B-24's used a more sophisticated approach, TV guidance.

Wayne