This is the shutter assembly from the pulsejet motor of a JB-2 Loon missile. Built by the Ford Motor Company for the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics, the Loon was an American copy of the German pulsejet-powered V-1 or "Buzz Bomb" surface-to-surface missile used during World War II. The Loon was designed to carry a two-thousand-pound explosive payload to a maximum range of 150 miles. It could be launched from the ground, surface ships and submarines, or aircraft.
The Navy first test launched the Loon in October 1944, but its development came too late for active service in the war. This missile did, however, provide invaluable experience to the Navy and the Air Force in the development and handling of missiles. The Navy canceled the Loon program in 1950, replacing it with the faster and more powerful Regulus missile.
Display Status
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Date
ca. 1946
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
PROPULSION-Components (Engine Parts)
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Dimensions
Overall: 17 3/4 x 11 x 5 1/2 in., 22lb. (45.1 x 27.9 x 14cm, 10kg)
Materials
Steel
Stainless Steel
Copper Alloy
Zinc Chromate Paint
Inventory Number
A19510077000
Credit Line
U.S. Navy
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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