Radioplane OQ-6
Target drone developed by Radioplane, cancelled after World War II.
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The Radioplane OQ-6 was a target drone built by the Radioplane Company, originally called the RP-14. The United States Army Air Forces tested it for possible military use. Although a limited number were bought, large-scale production orders were scrapped when World War II ended.
The RP-14 was a small, conventional aircraft with a strut-braced monoplane wing and a standard tail assembly. It used a Righter O-45 four-cylinder horizontally opposed piston engine. A later variant, the RP-15, swapped that engine for a McCulloch O-90. The airframe was more streamlined than the earlier OQ-3 model.
The RP-14 made its first flight in November 1944. The USAAF gave it the designation OQ-6.
Testing led to the improved RP-15, which became the OQ-6A, and the military placed orders for mass production. These orders were canceled because the war ended. Even so, some OQ-6s, later redesignated XOQ-6A, were still in service with the United States Air Force in 1948.
Background
The Radioplane RP-14 was a small aircraft of conventional design, with a strut-braced monoplane wing and conventional empennage; power was from a Righter O-45 four-cylinder horizontally opposed piston engine. An improved version, the RP-15, replaced the O-45 with a McCulloch O-90. The airframe was improved over the company's preceding OQ-3, with improved streamlining.
The RP-14 first flew in November 1944; designated OQ-6 by the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF), evaluation led to the development of the improved RP-15, designated OQ-6A, and orders for production of the aircraft in quantity were placed. These orders were cancelled due to the end of World War II; however, some OQ-6s, redesignated XOQ-6A, were still in service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1948.
Variants included the RP-14 (initial version powered by Righter O-45), OQ-6 (USAAF designation of RP-14), RP-15 (improved version with 60 hp McCulloch O-90; top speed 195 mph), OQ-6A (USAAF designation of RP-15), and XOQ-6A (USAF redesignation of surviving OQ-6s and OQ-6As).
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Radioplane OQ-6 (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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