Originally Posted by
HAS59
More BAOR than RAFG but still aviation related ...
Perhaps Crromwellman can give us the full story of the time when a drone (a proper drone) left the launch-rail and went straight up. The assembled crew looked on in amazement, until one of them realised that what goes straight up - also comes straight down!
OK HAS59 I will rise to the bait.
Short explanation. The AN/USD-501 Midge drone was a Divisional Commander's personal photographic reconnaissance asset. It was a true drone in that its flight path was pre-programmed and once launched it followed that path. There was no way of intervening from the ground, unlike what the media call "drones." Hence the recognition features of drone personnel were crossed fingers and pleading looks skyward.
On the day in question a Drone Troop was live firing on the Hohne Ranges where the Germans had cleared them for live flying. Needless to say everything was checked, re-checked and checked again by the Artillery's Instructors in Gunnery and sundry others so nothing would go wrong.
The drone was launched from a zero-length rail and was boosted by a rocket motor until the turbojet could take over to sustain flight. Countdown was complete and the button was pressed. The turbojet spooled up and the booster fired. Instead of the normal climb to height, this drone leaped off the launcher and imitated a Harrier on steroids by rising vertically. As it reached the end of the boost phase the booster dropped away and toppled the drone past the vertical and it decided to head for home (the launcher). As the launch crew realised its destination there was a demonstration of that well known military manoeuvre - the abandonment in disorder. The drone crashed about 30 metres in front of the launcher, exploded and burst into flames. The largest surviving pieces were the camera pack and the turbojet engine, although several pieces of metal inscribed with "Heat Aged" were recovered'
The cause was never found but the theory was that the booster had not been fitted correctly and was slightly loose so when it fired it made the drone climb more rapidly. When to booster dropped away, it gave the airframe a kick that took it over the vertical and toppled the gyros.
Another occasion when all the good work is wiped out by one "oh s**t!