The Convair XGAM-71 Buck Duck was an air-launched
decoy missile that was developed by
Convair
Convair, previously Consolidated Vultee, was an American aircraft manufacturing company that later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Consolidated Aircraft and Vultee Aircraft. In 1953, ...
in the early 1950s. It was intended to have the same
radar signature
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weat ...
as the
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile c ...
's
B-36 bomber, thereby allowing it to disrupt the enemy's
air defenses
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
and dilute their effort to shoot down an incoming bomber fleet.
Convair built the first prototype using its own funds, but the company received an official development contract from the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army S ...
on 16 August 1954. The USAF's Materiel Command project designation for the program was MX-2224. When the Air Force decided to put the project into production, it received the designation GAM-71.
["Convair Development Department Annual Report 1953" (1954-05-27), page 7, and "Convair Development Department Fourth Annual Report" (1955-09-08), page 23.]
Cited by Jenkins. Both may be found at the Aerospace Education Center
Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astro ...
, Little Rock, Arkansas
( The "Little Rock")
, government_type = Council-manager
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, leader_title2 = Council
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.
As initially envisioned by the Air Force, one B-36 in the-then typical three-plane attack formation would be filled with up to seven GAM-71s apportioned within its three bomb bays. A mixture of Ducks and other weapons was also possible, although the Air Force did not specify that it intended to use mixed loads.
To fit in the bomb bay of a B-36, the GAM-71 was relatively small; its wings were folded when it was stowed in the bay. To mimic the radar cross-section of the B-36, it carried internal
radar reflectors.
In February 1955, unpowered glide tests of XGAM-71 prototypes began using a modified
B-29 Superfortress
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 ...
as the mothership. However, the program was delayed due to funding issues. Convair also had higher priorities. A total of seven flights were conducted before the program was cancelled in January 1956, an event that researcher Dennis Jenkins attributes to the B-36's anticipated phase-out by decade's end.
Specifications
See also
References
{{USAF missiles
GAM-071
1950s United States special-purpose aircraft
Decoy missiles of the United States
Unmanned military aircraft of the United States
Rocket-powered aircraft
High-wing aircraft
Abandoned military rocket and missile projects of the United States
Aircraft first flown in 1955