Girish Mahajan (Editor)

North American MQM 42 Redhead Roadrunner

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Type
  
Target drone

In service
  
1961 - mid-1970s

Weight
  
400 kilograms (880 lb)

Manufacturer
  
North American Aviation

Place of origin
  
United States

Used by
  
United States Army

Length
  
7.57 metres (24.8 ft)

North American MQM-42 Redhead-Roadrunner httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

The MQM-42 Redhead was an American high altitude supersonic drone manufactured by North American Aviation (as model NA-273 Redhead/Roadrunner) used by the U.S. Army for testing and training as a high-performance target for the MIM-23 Hawk air-defense missile system.

The Redhead variant was used for high-altitude testing and the Roadrunner for low altitude. The MQM-42 was launched by a Rocketdyne solid-propellant RATO booster, derived from the solid fuel motor for the U.S. Army's Little John battlefield rocket, and was recovered by parachute. NAA manufactured the NA-273 in Columbus, Ohio. The sustainer engine was a Marquardt MA-74 ramjet.

In June 1963, it was designated as MQM-42A.

References

North American MQM-42 Redhead-Roadrunner Wikipedia