JB-2 or LTV-N-2 Loon

[20421]

Could someone please explane what the bumps/device/fairings on the nose of this Loon missile are are for?

Looking forward hearing from you,

Erik

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[Stargazer]

Interesting. These do not appear on other Loon (Thunderbug being the Republic name) pictures that I've seen.

 

[20421]

The JB-2 Loon missile in the New England Air Museum has a sort of radar reflector just behind the engine strut/fairing.

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[sagallacci]

Those two thingies on the nose are a total mystery to me. However, there were all kinds of experiments with guidance and warheads, so who knows? My first guess might be smoke dispensers or flares(?)

 

[Speedy]

Have you any information about JB-2 warhead? Was it a specjal model designed from scratch for Loon? Or adopted body of AN-M66 bomb or other standard ammunition? All I know that was 2000 lb-class (900 kg) HE warhead.

 

[Justo Miranda]

945 kg of T-8 H.E.

 

[Justo Miranda]

Additional info-1

 

[Justo Miranda]

Additional info-2

 

[Michel Van]

There were Two versions of post war JB-2 under Project MX-544

One with preset internal guidance of V1
The other with radar control

next JB-2 was also used under Project EO-727-12 of USAF

Here it was testbed for R&D of missile guidance control and seeker systems, testing of telemetering and optical tracking facilities.
And as a target for new surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles.

I guess the bumps are antenna of some sort for that.

 

[denzjos]

Loon LTV-N-2 with electronic steering in 1950.

Denzjos

 

[Speedy]

945 kg of T-8 H.E.

Thanks!!

I wonder if it was something similar to original V-1 (Fi 103) warhead - extra-thin walls and over 90% weight of explosive - or maybe something stronger-build?

Years ago I've read somewhere about the test made by US Navy in about 1946. They shot a Loon (or maybe original German Fi 103?) with an improvised MACLOS guidance against captured German or Japanese warship - AFAIR heavy cruiser, so with some side armor. For such purpose a little more penetration possibility would be a good idea...

 

[sagallacci]

As mentioned above, there were all kinds of tests and alternate hardware stuck into the noses of these things. Nearly every photo I've found has some little differences in details on them. It seems that the section of the fuselage covering a warhead was typically a built up aluminium or pressed steel structure (filled with concrete for ballast) and the forward section was often punctuated with hatches and vents for who knows what.