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) | |
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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(Text) CC BY-SA