PTV-N-2 Gorgon IV

Lore & Background

Development of the Gorgon IV began in May 1945, when the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics contracted with the Glenn L. Martin Company, as part of Project Gorgon, to develop an air-to-surface missile, powered by a ramjet engine and using active radar homing for guidance. The end of World War II saw a reduction in need for such a weapon, however the contract was continued in 1946 as a propulsion test vehicle, originally designated KUM-1, then PTV-2 before finally being redesignated PTV-N-2.

The PTV-N-2 was of fairly conventional design, with mildly-swept wings and a conventional empennage; roll control was through spoilerons. The Marquardt XRJ30 ramjet engine was mounted below the aft fuselage, and the vehicle was fitted with drag brakes to prevent exceeding the engine's design limits. Flight control was through a combination of a preset course via autopilot and radio command guidance; the vehicle was equipped with radio telemetry to transmit data. Following the end of each test flight, the vehicle would deploy a parachute for recovery in the ocean; the vehicles were said to be in such good condition that it would be possible to re-fly them after cleaning them of salt water residue.

Nineteen PTV-N-2s were produced, with flight tests beginning in July 1947; in November, the program having adopted Northrop F2T night-fighters as launch aircraft, the Gorgon IV first achieved high-speed flight, reaching approximately Mach 0.85; it was the first ramjet-powered winged aircraft to successfully fly in the United States, and it was claimed that the missile's speed was deliberately restricted to keep it below the speed of sound. A flight time of 11 minutes 15 seconds, a record at the time for ramjets, was achieved on the second flight test. The test program continued through December 1949, originally at the Naval Air Missile Test Center test range at Point Mugu, California; testing was later moved to the Naval Aviation Ordnance Test Station in Chincoteague, Virginia in order to be closer to Martin's factory. The Navy began a refit to test the feasibility of launching Gorgon IVs from an at-sea platform, however the project was cancelled before completion. Despite this the program was considered to be 'very successful' by the Navy. Following the end of the program, the remaining PTV-N-2s were assigned as target drones, given the designation KDM-1 Plover. The Gorgon IV airframe was also used as the basis of the ASM-N-5 Gorgon V chemical weapons dispenser.

Reader's Guide

The PTV-N-2 Gorgon IV holds significance as the first ramjet-powered winged aircraft to successfully fly in the United States, marking a milestone in propulsion technology. Its development, originally intended as an air-to-surface missile under Project Gorgon, shifted to a propulsion test vehicle after World War II, reflecting the changing priorities of the U.S. Navy. The program's success is underscored by the Navy's own assessment that it was 'very successful,' despite the cancellation of a planned at-sea launch refit. The vehicle's design, including drag brakes to manage ramjet speed limits and a parachute recovery system that allowed reuse after saltwater cleaning, demonstrated practical innovations for test vehicles of the era. Its legacy extends beyond testing: the remaining airframes were repurposed as KDM-1 Plover target drones, and the airframe served as the basis for the ASM-N-5 Gorgon V chemical weapons dispenser. A recovered example is preserved at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, donated by the U.S. Navy in 1966, ensuring the Gorgon IV's place in aerospace history.

Did You Know?

• A flight time of 11 minutes 15 seconds was a record at the time for ramjets.
• The vehicle could be recovered by parachute and re-flown after cleaning salt water residue.