PQ-14 Cadet

infobox Aircraft
name=PQ-14
type=Target drone
manufacturer=Culver Aircraft Company


caption= Culver PQ-14B at the National Museum of the United States Air Force USAF photo
designer=Albert Mooney
first flight=
introduced=1942
retired=1950
primary user=U.S. Army Air Corps
more users=United States Navy
U.S. Army Air Force
United States Air Force
produced=
number built= 2,043
unit cost=
developed from= Culver PQ-8
variants with their own articles=

In 1940, the U.S. Army Air Corps drew up a requirement for a radio-controlled target drone for training anti-aircraft artillery gunners. The first aircraft in a series of target drones was a modification of the Culver LFA Cadet which eventually led to the PQ-14 series used throughout World War II and beyond.

Design and development

Culver proposed a modification of its civilian Model LFA Cadet which the Army purchased as the PQ-8. The success of the PQ-8 led to the development of the "NRD"; a single PQ-8 was converted to the new configuration and tested by the USAAF as the XPQ-14. Larger and faster than the PQ-8, the PQ-14 also had retractable landing gear and fuselage, wings and tail components made of wood with stressed plywood skin.

This prototype was followed by YPQ-14A service test aircraft and 1,348 PQ-14A production models. Of the latter, 1,198 were transferred to the US Navy, which designated them as TD2C-1 with the decidedly unattractive name "Turkey".

The YPQ-14B was a slightly heavier variant; a total of 25 were produced before production shifted to the PQ-14B. A total of 594 PQ-14Bs served as target drones for the USAAF. A single PQ-14B was converted to use an O-300-9 engine and designated XPQ-14C. After World War II, the Culver company developed the XPQ-15 from their Model V light aircraft. After only four were delivered the company went bankrupt in 1946.

Operational history

The XPQ-14 was first flown in 1942 and began to be received in training units shortly after. The aircraft was flown unmanned, controlled by radio, but was flown by a pilot for ferry flights, utililizing a rudimentary control panel installed for that purpose. Docile and easy to fly, the aircraft was finished in a bright red target color scheme although operationally, a silver or red finish was applied. Without a pilot they were flown from a "mother ship" aircraft. The typical mother ship was a Beech C-45. Despite their short lifespan, the aircraft performed well and the Franklin engine was considered "trouble-free" Mormillo 2001, p. 7.] .

Most of the Culver target aircraft were "blasted out of the sky" by Army anti-aircraft gunners but a dozen or more survived and were surplused after 1950. Flown as a recreational aircraft, their new owners found that the aircraft had a sprightly performance. One is preserved as a flying example at the Planes of Fame in Chino, CaliforniaMormillo 2001, p. 7.] while another is part of the collection at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

pecifications (Culver PQ-14A)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref=Mormillo 2001, p. 6.]

crew= One
capacity=
length main= 19 ft 6 in
length alt= 5.94 m
span main= 30 ft
span alt= 9.14 m
height main= 8 ft 4.5 in
height alt= 2.55 m
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main=
empty weight alt=
loaded weight main= 1,830 lb
loaded weight alt=830 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=

engine (prop)= Franklin O-300-11
type of prop= Single blade
number of props=1
power main= 150 hp
power alt= 97 kW
power original=

max speed main= 185 mph
max speed alt= 300 km/h
cruise speed main=150 mh
cruise speed alt=241 km/h
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 512 mi
range alt= 823 km
ceiling main= 17,000 ft
ceiling alt= 5,184 m
climb rate main=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=

armament=

avionics=

References

* Mondey, David. "American Aircraft of World War II" (Hamlyn Concise Guide). London: Bounty Books, 2006. ISBN 978-0-7537-1461-4.
* Mormillo, Frank B. "Defenceless Warrior: Culver's PQ-14 Drone." "Air Enthusiast" Issue 93, May/June 2001.

External links

* [http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app1/q-14.html Culver PQ-14/Q-14/TD2C]
* [http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=291 Culver PQ-14B]

ee also

aircontent

related= Culver Cadet

similar aircraft=Culver PQ-8

lists=

see also=