Northrop AQM-35 - Misplaced Pages

(Redirected from AQM-35) Supersonic drone

Q-4 / AQM-35
XQ-4
General information
Type	Target drone
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Northrop Corporation
Primary user	United States Air Force
Number built	25
History
First flight	January 1956
Retired	mid 1960s

The AQM-35 was a supersonic target drone produced by the Northrop Corporation.

Overview

The AQM-35 program began life in 1953 as the Model RP-61 supersonic target drone. In June 1954 the United States Air Force awarded Northrop a contract for development of the project as the Q-4; the first flight-capable XQ-4 was launched in 1956.

The XQ-4 was capable of either ground or air launch, though the former mode was never tested. It was powered by a Westinghouse XJ81-WE-3 turbojet, allowing it to reach speeds of Mach 1.55. The drone's course was followed with radar, and flight commands were sent by a radio telemetry system. When the mission was completed the XQ-4 would deploy a three-stage parachute system along with four large inflatable airbags to cushion the impact with the ground.

The Air Force planned to use the Q-4 as a target for various surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. A secondary reconnaissance function was planned, with TV or cameras carried. The drone was air-launched by a Lockheed DC-130 Hercules drone controller aircraft, or other carrier aircraft.

In 1963, the Q-4 family of drones were given the designation AQM-35A and AQM-35B. They were never considered entirely successful, with a variety of problems arising during both the development and flight testing phases. It was also considered that the flight performance of the drone was so high that it was not a realistic test for the missiles being developed––ironic since the whole point of the project was to develop a supersonic target. Only 25 of all types were ever built. The last examples of the type were retired during the 1960s.

Variants

XQ-4: Prototype of the RP-61 supersonic target drone.
Q-4: Production target drones.
Q-4A: Developed to use a Fairchild J83 engine and a modified radar signature for testing the CIM-10 Bomarc missile. When the engine could not be developed in time the variant was cancelled.
Q-4B: Fitted with a much more powerful J85-GE-5 engine and a strengthened airframe. This variant was first flown in 1961.
AQM-35A: Post 1962 designation of the Q-4 drone.
AQM-35B: Post 1962 designation of the Q-4B

Specifications (Q-4/AQM-35A)

General characteristics

Length: 33 ft 0 in (10.06 m)

Q-4B/AQM-35B: 35.333 ft (10.77 m)

Wingspan: 11 ft 1 in (3.38 m)

Q-4B/AQM-35B: 12.666 ft (3.86 m)

Diameter: 1 ft 8 in (0.51 m)
Height: 5 ft 7 in (1.69 m)

Q-4B/AQM-35B: 6.167 ft (1.88 m)

Empty weight: 1,980 lb (898 kg)

Q-4B/AQM-35B: 3,400 lb (1,542 kg)

Powerplant: 1 × Westinghouse XJ81-WE-3 Lightweight expendable turbojet, 1,810 lbf (8.1 kN) thrust

Q-4B/AQM-35B: 1x General Electric J85-GE-5 turbojet, 3,850 lbf (17 kN) thrust

Performance

Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,000 m)

Q-4B/AQM-35B: 70,000 ft (21,336 m)

Maximum speed: M1.55

Q-4B/AQM-35B: M2.0

References

Northrop (Radioplane) Q-4/AQM-35

Northrop aircraft and aircraft engines

Manufacturer
designations

'Greek' series	Alpha Beta Gamma Delta
'N' series	Note: Northrop company designations include a wide variety of technologies. Only aircraft, aero engines, and missiles are linked here. N-1/M N-2 N-3 N-4 N-5 N-6 N-7 N-8 N-9/M N-10 N-12 N-14 N-15 N-16 N-18 N-19 N-20 N-21 N-23 N-24 N-25A/B N-26 N-29 N-31 N-32 N-34 N-35 N-36 N-37 N-38 N-39 N-40 N-41 N-45 N-46 N-47 N-48 N-49 N-50 N-51 N-52 N-54 N-55 N-59 N-60 N-63 N-65 N-67 N-68 N-69 N-71 N-72 N-73 N-74 N-81 N-82 N-84 N-86 N-87 N-94 N-96 N-102 N-103 N-105 N-110 N-111 N-112 N-117 N-124 N-132 N-133 N-134 N-135 N-138 N-141 N-144 N-149 N-150 N-151 N-155 N-156 N-165 N-204 N-205 N-250 N-251 N-267 N-285 N-300 N-301 N-302 N-303 N-304 N-305 N-306 N-307 N-311 N-320 N-321 N-322 N-330 N-353 N-370 N-381
'P' series	P530 P600 P610 P630

By role

Attack	YA-13 XA-16 A-17/Nomad N-3PB YA-9
Bombers	YB-35 YB-49 B-62 BT B2T B-2
Drones	Q-4
Fighters	3A XP-56 P-61 XP-79 F-89 XFT F2T F-5/CF-5/CF-116 YF-17 F-18L F-20 YF-23
Reconnaissance	F-15 RF-61 RF-5 N-165 N-204
Trainers	T-38
Transports	Alpha Beta Gamma Delta C-19 C-100 YC-125 RT
Experimental	N-1M N-9M JB-1 MX-324 MX-334 M2-F2 M2-F3 HL-10 Tacit Blue X-4 X-21

Aircraft
engines

XT37

Names

See also: TR-3

v t e 1963 United States Tri-Service missile designations, 1963–present
1–50	MGM-1 RIM-2 MIM-3 AIM-4 MGM-5 RGM-6 AIM-7 RIM-7 RIM-8 AIM-9 CIM-10 PGM-11 AGM-12 CGM-13/MGM-13 MIM-14 RGM-15 CGM-16 PGM-17 MGM-18 PGM-19 ADM-20 MGM-21 AGM-22 MIM-23 RIM-24 HGM-25A LGM-25C AIM-26 UGM-27 AGM-28 MGM-29 LGM-30 MGM-31A/B (MGM-31C) MGM-32 MQM-33 AQM-34 AQM-35 (I) LGM-35 (II) MQM-36 AQM-37 AQM-38 MQM-39 MQM-40 AQM-41 MQM-42 FIM-43 UUM-44 AGM-45 MIM-46 AIM-47 AGM-48 XLIM-49 LIM-49 RIM-50
51–100	MGM-51 MGM-52 AGM-53 AIM-54 RIM-55 PQM-56 MQM-57 MQM-58 RGM-59 AQM-60 MQM-61 AGM-62 AGM-63 AGM-64 AGM-65 RIM-66 RIM-67 AIM-68 AGM-69 LEM-70 BGM-71 MIM-72 UGM-73 BQM-74 BGM-75 AGM-76 FGM-77 AGM-78 AGM-79 AGM-80 AQM-81 AIM-82 AGM-83 AGM-84/RGM-84/UGM-84 AGM-84E AGM-84H/K RIM-85 AGM-86 AGM-87 AGM-88 UGM-89 BQM-90 AQM-91 FIM-92 "AIM-92" XQM-93 YQM-94 AIM-95 UGM-96 AIM-97 YQM-98 LIM-99 LIM-100
101–150	RIM-101 PQM-102 AQM-103 MIM-104 MQM-105 BQM-106 MQM-107 BQM-108 AGM-109/BGM-109/RGM-109/UGM-109 BGM-109G BGM-110 BQM-111 AGM-112 RIM-113 AGM-114 MIM-115 RIM-116 FQM-117 LGM-118 AGM-119 AIM-120 CQM-121/CGM-121 AGM-122 AGM-123 AGM-124 RUM-125/UUM-125 BQM-126 AQM-127 AQM-128 AGM-129 AGM-130 AGM-131 AIM-132 UGM-133 MGM-134 ASM-135 AGM-136 AGM-137 CEM-138 RUM-139 MGM-140 ADM-141 AGM-142 MQM-143 ADM-144 BQM-145 MIM-146 BQM-147 FGM-148 PQM-149 PQM-150
151–200	FQM-151 AIM-152 AGM-153 AGM-154 BQM-155 RIM-156 MGM-157 AGM-158A/B AGM-158C AGM-159 ADM-160 RIM-161 RIM-162 GQM-163 MGM-164 RGM-165 MGM-166 BQM-167 MGM-168 AGM-169 MQM-170 MQM-171 FGM-172 GQM-173 RIM-174 AIM-174B MQM-175 AGM-176 BQM-177 MQM-178 AGM-179 AGM-180 AGM-181 LGM-182 AGM-183 RGM-184 MQM-185 MQM-186 AGM-187
201–	AIM-260 MIM-401
Undesignated	Aequare ASALM Brazo Common Missile GBI GLSDB HACM HALO Have Dash JSM KEI LREW LRHW M30 GMLRS/M31 GMLRS-U MA-31 MSDM NCADE NLOS OpFires PrSM Senior Prom Sprint SiAW Wagtail
See also: United States tri-service rocket designations post-1963 Drones designated in UAV sequence

USAAF/USAF UAV designations 1924–1962, tri-service designations 1962–present

USAAF designations
(1924-1947)

Controllable bombs	BQ-1 BQ-2 BQ-3 BQ-4 BQ-5 BQ-6 BQ-7 BQ-8
Target control aircraft	CQ-1 CQ-2 CQ-3 CQ-4
Aerial target (subscale)	OQ-1 OQ-2 OQ-3 OQ-4 OQ-5 OQ-6 OQ-7 OQ-8 OQ-9 OQ-10 OQ-11 OQ-12 OQ-13 OQ-14 OQ-15 OQ-16 OQ-17 OQ-18 OQ-19
Aerial target (full-scale)	A-1 A-2 A-3 A-4 A-5 A-6 A-7 A-8/PQ-8 PQ-9 PQ-10 PQ-11 PQ-12 PQ-13 PQ-14 PQ-15

USAF designations
(1948-1962)

Q-1
Q-2
Q-3
Q-4
Q-5
Q-6
Q-7
Q-8
Q-9
Q-10
Q-11
Q-12
Q-13
Q-14

Tri-service designations
(1962-present)

Main series	Q-1/C Q-2 Q-3 Q-4/C Q-5 Q-6 Q-7 Q-8/C Q-9 Q-10 Q-11 Q-12 Q-13 Q-14 Q-15 Q-16 Q-17 Q-18 Q-19 Q-20 RQ-20 MQ-20 Q-21 Q-22 Q-23 Q-24 Q-25 Q-26 Q-27 Q-28 Q-29
Non-sequential	Q-35 Q-58 Q-67 Q-72 Q-73 Q-170

Not assigned
Not to be confused with the Attack or Amphibious aircraft sequences.
Assigned to multiple types
Drones designated in missile sequence

v t e United States Air Force system numbers
100–199	100 101 P 102 103 104 105 106 107 A-1 A-2 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 L M 118 A L P 119 C/F E L T Y 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 A B 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143–197 198 199 B C D Y
200–299	200 201 A/L B/W E 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 A G 223 224 225 226 227–238 239 240–278 279 280–298 299
300–399	300 301 302 303 304 305 306 A/L B 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 A-1 A-2 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 L M/N 325 326 327 E 328 E 329 F 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338–379 380 A/B/E/F/N P 381–397 398 399 A B
400–499	400 B/C/N E G/H M 401 402 403 404 405 B C D 406 407 408 409 410 E L 411 E L 412 413 414 L M 415 416 L M (I) M (II) P Q 417 418 L M 419 420 L/W 421 422 423 424 425 426 L M 427 L M 428 A L 429 430 431 G (I) G (II) 432 433 434 435 A L 436 437 438 439 440 441 A D L 442 443 444 445 L M 446 447 448 449 450 451 D L 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 L 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 L (I) L (II) 472 473 474 L N 475 476 E 477 478 A T 479 480 481 L 482 E L M/Z 483 484 L M N 485 L Z 486 487 488 489 490 L M 491 492 493 494 495 L (I) L (II) 496 497 A L (I) L 498 A C D E L 499 A C D
500–599	500 501–519 520 521–529 530 531–541 542 543–549 550 A E 551–559 560 A F 561–569 570 571–579 580 A E 581–589 590 591 592 593–599
600–699	600 601 A L 602 A L 603 A L 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 619 620 621 A/B (I) B (II) 622 623 624 625 626 627 628 629 630 631 632 633 634 A B 635 636 637 638 639 640 641 642 643 644 645 646 647 648 A D P 649 A B C D E F L P 650 651 652 653 654 655 A (I) A (II) P 656 657 658 659 660 661 662 663 664 665 A (I) A (II) 666 A C/P 667 668 669 670 671 672 A M/P 673 674 675 676 677 678 679 680 681 D E 682 683 A J V 684 685 686 687 J P 688 689 690 691 C X Z 692 693 694 695 A B C L N P Q R S (I) S (II) 696 697 698 699
700–799	700–735 736 737 738 739 740 741 742 743 744 745 746–753 754 755–799
800–899	800 801 802 L (I) L (II) 803 804 805 806 807 808–816 817 818 819 820 821 822 823 824–831 832 833 834 835–845 846 847–899
900–999	900–951 952 853 854 855 956 957–967 968
Unknown or not assigned

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