QUEEN BEE
ROBOT 'PLANE AS AIR TARGET. The Air Ministry's "robot" aeroplane, particulars of which have been revealed, has been used as a gunnery target by coast batteries and warships for two years, the aeronautical correspondent of "The Times" states. The aeroplane, which is known as the Queen Bee, has on at least two occasions been brought down by i anti-aircraft fire, all types of which have been tested. . A special flight of four Queen Bees has been formed to carry on , these duties. | The wireless apparatus by which control is maintained is at present a secret. It has been developed during 10 years by the Air Ministry's technical staff. It does not depend on pyroscopic devices, applied as "robot" pilots, for flying a given course, but enables the Queen Bee to manoeuvre in such a way as to simulate a pilot's efforts to avoid and confuse anti-aircraft fire. The machines fly without a pilot at over 100 miles an hour, can rise to over 10,000 feet, are operated entirely by radio, and have a range of about 10 miles from its operating station. One of the machines will be seen at the Royal Air Force display at Hendon on Saturday. They have been built by the De Havilland Company with Gypsy engines.
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Bibliographic details
King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 4745, 12 September 1935, Page 6
Word Count
213QUEEN BEE King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 4745, 12 September 1935, Page 6
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