GB-4 ( Glide Bomb No.4) was a precision guided munition developed by the United States during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. GB-4s used a

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

guidance system with the weapon being steered by a TV bombardier operating a joystick in the launch aircraft. The first GB-4s (then known as MX-607s) were tested at

Eglin Air Force Base Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in the western Florida panhandle, located about southwest of Valparaiso, Florida, Valparaiso in Okaloosa County, Florida, Okaloosa County. The host unit at Eglin is the 96th Test ...

during August 1943. During testing the GB-4's circular error probable accuracy was found to be . The type was ordered into production on 15 January 1944. Although approved for operational use, the typed suffered from reliability problems throughout testing. The GB-4 was briefly used in combat by the 388th Bomber Group, based in eastern England, but its performance was deemed unsatisfactory. 1,200 GB-4's were delivered to the USAAF however poor combat results lead to a decision to halt further deliveries in February 1945.

References

{{US WWII guided bombs World War II aerial bombs of the United States World War II weapons of the United States Guided bombs of the United States Television guided weapons

See also

References