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One of the First Radio-Controlled Guided /Smart bomb in the world - AZON

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Post time 16-7-2006 01:44 PM | Show all posts |Read mode
One of the First Radio-Controlled Guided /Smart bomb in the world - AZON

The badge shown on the left was never officially worn, as the project was scrapped before the mass production of the badges could be started. It was tested and delivered by aircraft and crews of the 458th Heavy Bombardement Group, based at Horsham St Faith.
The project was not really a failure, as the records of the 458th BG show, with a high success record of precision bombing of military targets. The AZON is thus the father of the 'smart bombs' and cruise missiles in use today. It was, however, in competition with "Operation Aphrodite", in which radio-controlled B17s were guided in from aboard B24 Liberators. 'Aphrodite' actually used the same radio-control unit as was used for the AZON in its crewless (at least for the last part of the flight, the pilots getting them up bailed out after a while) B17s laden with explosives headed for targets in France. This was seen as a response to the German V1 and V2 and the then still in development phase stuck V3 weapons. 'Aphrodite' wasn't as successful either, one of the most prominent people killed in this Operation was Joseph Kennedy Jr, the elder brother of President JFK.

Ten B24s were designated to get the AZON to their points of action, and they were all part of the 458th Bombardement Group, flying from Horsham St Faith, which is today Norwich's International Airport. Some men involved with AZON and Aphrodite were: Maj.s Holbrook and Rand, Capt Tooman, Lt.s Larned and Hargis, Tec.s detached from the 753 Squadron. CO of this project was Col. Robert W Vincent.

The AZON bomb consisted of a 1,000 lb. bomb fitted with a special radio-control device. The information on this and the images were found in George A Reynolds' History of the 458th Bombardement Group (Heavy) IV, 4th ed., 1996, published with no ISDN or LoC entry, 4009 Saddle Run Circle, Pelham, AL, 35124.

The drawings and pictures of the actual device and aerials of the precision hits were first published in the units history by the same author in 1979, after theu had been declassified at the USAF Archives, Maxwell AFB, AL, in 1977.

The idea behind the device was that during the bomb's drop, its trajectory could be altered by means of radio-control commands from a B24, which had dropped it. Elevators were mounted on the collar section similar to the preset tirm tabs on an aircraft. The radio signals controlled the fins and thus guided the bomb to its target.

Gyros were mounted to prevent weaving and for stabilisation, and they were operated with compressed air. The battery life was about three minutes, enough time for a guided fall..

A smoke generator was mounted at the tail, there were four different colour flares, as the planes would only carry four of these bombs, to distinguish between individual weapons dropped. Due to the weight of the additional bits and pieces on the bomb, a maximum of six of these could be flown at any given time.

The bomb had one instantaneous fuse at its front end, which was not replaced by a delay fuse because of security considerations - the enemy should not have the opportunity of actually being able to de-fuse and analyse such a secret weapon.
source from: http://www.455th.ukpc.net/tomfeise/455th/458azon.htm







[ Last edited by  gancity at 16-7-2006 05:19 PM ]

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Post time 16-7-2006 03:03 PM | Show all posts
You sure that Azon is the first guided bomb? I have always thought that the German SD 1400 X or fritz X is the first guided bomb, being originally developed in 1938 and used operationally in 1943.
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 Author| Post time 16-7-2006 03:13 PM | Show all posts
it wasnt 1st guided bomb but is first radio-control guided bomb... mm...but all tis i get from national geography Astro Ch 52...mayb got false infor as well..anyway any1 hv more detail infor can correct me as well

[ Last edited by  gancity at 16-7-2006 03:21 PM ]
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Post time 16-7-2006 04:15 PM | Show all posts
Originally posted by gancity at 16-7-2006 15:13
it wasnt 1st guided bomb but is first radio-control guided bomb... mm...but all tis i get from national geography Astro Ch 52...mayb got false infor as well..anyway any1 hv more detail infor can co ...


Gan, Fritz X is also radio-controlled and AFAIK, the first usage of guided bomb is against the surrendering Italian Fleet in September 1943.
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 Author| Post time 16-7-2006 05:17 PM | Show all posts

Reply #4 alphawolf's post

ic...mm..mayb i should say 1 of the first radio guided or 1 of the first smart bomb in the world
maaf cz the mistake & tqs :hatdown:

[ Last edited by  gancity at 16-7-2006 05:21 PM ]
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Post time 17-7-2006 08:41 AM | Show all posts
Perhaps...but anyway AZON is well-suited to bomb pinpoint targets.and it was used to the destroy the infamous Bridge On The River Kwai.
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Post time 17-7-2006 09:03 AM | Show all posts
Originally posted by alphawolf at 16-7-2006 04:15 PM


Gan, Fritz X is also radio-controlled and AFAIK, the first usage of guided bomb is against the surrendering Italian Fleet in September 1943.


:setuju:

I saw n read it somewhere long long time ago. :
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Post time 18-7-2006 12:38 AM | Show all posts
AZON Bomb telah dikreditkan sebagai salah satu SMART BOMB yang pertama didunia. AZON digunakan dlm kombat 4 d 1st time masa Death Railway bombing. Nak hentikan supplyline Japan to Burma n India (tolong betulkan kalo salah - aku baca kat Wiki and tgk National Geographic)
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Post time 18-7-2006 08:54 AM | Show all posts
Originally posted by Nakabu at 18-7-2006 00:38
AZON Bomb telah dikreditkan sebagai salah satu SMART BOMB yang pertama didunia. AZON digunakan dlm kombat 4 d 1st time masa Death Railway bombing. Nak hentikan supplyline Japan to Burma n India (to ...


Betul...dan Fritz X lebih dikredit sebagai anti-ship missile pertama walaupun ia masih boleh digunakan untuk sasaran hard target di darat.
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