Republic-Ford JB-2 Loon

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Ragnarok_Stravius@reddit

German engineers: "Zey stole our whole style! Zey stole our whole flow! Zis is Bullscheisse!"

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Karl2241@reddit

Shouldn’t have started the war then 🤷‍♂️

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JSpencer999@reddit

I assume because it was US built it was "inspired by" the V-1 rather than copied. That's how this works isn't it? 🤔

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Rooilia@reddit

No it was a copy. There was no attempt in improvement, just replacing parts with US equivalents.

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isaac32767@reddit

I don't think they had to any reverse-engineering: Robert Lusler, the designer of the V-1, was in the US at the time.

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Ok-Confusion2415@reddit

so not an operation paperclip deal? it’s interesting either way.

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It started in ‘44, with dud V-1s being reverse engineered after they crashed without detonating. They got good at making them pretty quick, and eventually started experimenting with air-launched JB-2s from modified Flying Fortresses.

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jar1967@reddit

A US built V-1. Because it was not built by slave labor while being bombed and using whatever resources were available ,it was longer ranged, lighter, faster and more accurate. It also used American explosives in the warhead , which were more powerful than the German ones.

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Straight_Loan8271@reddit

Worthwhile noting that the reason it was more accurate was because the guidance was completely replaced with a radio command system

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Quietuus@reddit

I can't remember if this was more of a V2 thing specifically due to the different guidance methods, but German cruise missile accuracy also suffered greatly from the fact that British Intelligence had turned literally the entire Abwehr network in the UK into double agents and used them to systematically feed false reports about where the missiles were landing, causing them to correct their aim away from their targets.

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bouncypete@reddit

^^This^^

Read the true story book by Ben MacIntyre called Agent Zigzag.

It details how Eddie Chapman became a double agent and fed the Abwehr (German intelligence) false co-ordinates for key targets in London, which the Germans actually hit instead of their intended targets.

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JSpencer999@reddit

I seem to remember false information being fed back to the Germans about V1s falling to the north of London. The Germans changed the targeting to what they thought was central London but they ended up falling short and hitting Croydon (which, having lived there, would probably cause millions of pounds worth of improvement if it happened now)

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Direlion@reddit

Oh definitely. If it was “our side” then it def wasn’t stolen technology and instead was just a derivation. Like when China does it it’s evil, when we do it’s patriotic and super rad. Similar to how the US stole looking technology from England and kick started their Industrial Revolution. That was super sweet!

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kittenfartastic@reddit

That's a false equivalency right here, folks.

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AllReflection@reddit

To be fair, in this case all German military tech was considered a spoil of war paid for in blood and treasure

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Direlion@reddit

I get it but the language and propaganda element can’t be discounted.

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BrtFrkwr@reddit

Well, yes. That seems to be the case.

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Loon013@reddit

The source for my nickname. Got it as a 10 yr old who hung around pilots and aviation mechanics. Took me 10 yrs to figure it out.

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James_TF2@reddit

I just built one of these in 1/72 scale.

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Slow-Barracuda-818@reddit

Nicw work. I built one in the colours of the original operators, together with a Spitfire. Old but famous kit from Frog.

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James_TF2@reddit

I have that kit sitting in storage. I should probably build it one of these days and clear out my backlog.

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General-Ninja9228@reddit

They fitted a B-17G with Loons under each wing to test early cruise missile technology.

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Flucloxacillin25pc@reddit (OP)

Yes. They used a pair of rather complex cradles.

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TheLaotianAviator@reddit

Obligatory gaijin when

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Brialmont@reddit

If the Russians had one of those in a museum, they'd have used it against Ukraine by now.

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Blondie-Gringo@reddit

I have never seen this before. Thanks

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Professor_Smartax@reddit

It would be a more effective weapon if they hung a pilot below it on a hang glider trapeze.

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Jessie_C_2646@reddit

So it wasn't just the scientists who benefited from Operation Paperclip.

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Duct_TapeOrWD40@reddit

Nope, that is the V2 story.

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Stunning_Web_996@reddit

This was developed during the war, before Operation Paperclip even started

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Jessie_C_2646@reddit

How dare you ruin my pitiful attempt at humour with your facts?

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Constant_Proofreader@reddit

Does the American knockoff use a pulse jet, as the German V-1 did? If so, did "we" make any other use of pulse jets for aircraft, missiles, etc.?

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Duct_TapeOrWD40@reddit

As far as I know these used the "Ford PJ31" engine, a reverse engineered V1 engine. This was it's last mass produced appearance of pulsejets.

The J2 loon has an interesting story, with 1000+ produced it's not really considered experimental aircraft. But still, as the first US cruise misille most were used as testbed, aerial target etc.... Although some launch vehicle came past all tests and became operational it never seen combat.

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