[ARC5] WWII Guided Missiles

[Robert Eleazer]

The AZON guidance system was used by the USAAF as the basis for the Project Aphrodite conversion of war weary B-17's into Precision Guidance Munitions.  Guidance was by looking out the front of another B-17 and using a radio link.  The USN did much the same thing in a somewhat more sophisticated manner using B-24's and a TV link.  

The effort was not effective, largely because neither B-17's nor B-24's were suitable for doing a steep dive into the target.  They wanted to pull out of the dive.  Aside from that, some of the technical decisions they made were simply very stupid - e.g., gobs of RF running around and no shielding over the explosive arm and fire circuits.

JFK's older brother Joe was killed on a Navy Project Aphrodite mission.  There is a fascinating book out on the program.

The Navy used radio controlled F6F's as guided missiles in Korea.

Wayne