Visitors to Fort Miles Museum can see a new exhibit that traces the development of drones or Radioplanes, as they were known in the 1950s. Not surprisingly, the California manufacturer that invented and made these drones was Radioplane Co.
Radioplane OQ-19 is the most recent model in the long history of these aircraft dating to the late 1930s. About 15,000 of these aircraft were produced in the company’s California plant during World War II and used primarily by the Army and Army Air Forces as target drones.
The OQ-19 could be launched by catapult; via a circular runway technique; or from an aircraft such as a B-26 or a later version by a B-47 as shown below. If used for target practice, the drone could be landed via parachute after it was hit by gunfire or a missile and refurbished for reuse.
Drones of this type were launched from Fort Miles in the 1950s and used for anti-aircraft gunnery practice.
Radioplanes were used experimentally for laying military communication wire in that decade.
As a side note, it is said an Army photographer named David Conover spotted Norma Jeane Dougherty assembling OQ-3’s at the Radioplane plant in June 1945. His photograph led to a screen test and, with her name changed to Marilyn Monroe, Norma Jeane became a Hollywood star.
Wikipedia provided this interesting history. A photo of Norma Jeane is on Wikipedia’s Radioplane reference.
Fort Miles Historical Association volunteers restored the drone on display after acquiring it from a private collection in 2022. To learn more, visit this newest Fort Miles exhibit.
