|
 |
|
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
| USN SATFOR STAG-1 |
Aircraft History Built by Interstate Aircraft and Engineering Corporation in DeKalb, Illinois. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as TDR-1 Assault Drone bureau number 27??? (last three digits unknown) in the range of 27859-27958. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South Pacific (SOPAC). Wartime History Assigned to Special Task Air Group One (STAG-1). Tail number 882 in large white digits. Painted with dark blue upper surfaces and white lower surfaces. Mission History On July 30, 1944 at approximately 1:27pm this was the third (no. 3) drone that took off from Banika Field (North Field, Sunlight) in the Russell Islands armed with a 2,000 pound bomb for a demonstration test targeting the midship deck of the Yamazuki Maru beached on the north coast of Guadalcanal. At 2:05pm this drone landed in the sea off the port bow of the shipwreck and skipped across the surface and spun to a stop without the bomb detonating. A cinematographer documented the tests shooting 35mm color film. At Banika Field, one cameraman recorded the entire take off sequence including the nose gear failure of this aircraft. Afterwards, this TDR-1 was likely repaired and flown on later combat missions. Ultimate fate unknown. References Navy Serial Number Search Results - Interstate TDR-1 Bureau Numbers 27859-27958 "Naval Aircraft Factory TDN development built in modified configuration by Interstate as TDR-1. Was unmanned remotely-conrolled aircraft for use in combat as assault drone." NARA STAG-1 War Diary July 1944 NARA "Service Test of Assault Drone by STAG ONE under direction of Commander Special Air Task Force" (ARC Identifier 12666/72.43) NARA STAG-One War Diary July 1944 pages 4, 10 (Page 4) "30 July 1944 - D Day. Drones at target at 1359:30, 1402, 1405 and 1415; the first, third, and fourth drone hitting the target. No 2 drone overshot target by approximately 10 feet while bomb on no. 3 drone failed to detonate. Open-out between control planes and drone in all elements estimated at not less than six to eight miles. 'Affirm' test flights flown in the morning." (Page 10) "STAG-One Operation Order No. R-2-44 July 26, 1944 - Live-load test and demonstrations against Yamazuki Maru, order and instructions concerning" Chronology of Special Air Task Force's Story (1990) by Captain Robert F. Jones, privately published The Siege of Rabaul (1996) by Henry Sakaida pages 58-61 (stills from film) Contribute
Information Last Updated
|
 TDR-1  Photo Archive |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
