Aviation Unmanned Vehicle Museum

The Aviation Unmanned Vehicle Museum (AUVM) is a collection of incredible, rare, drones & artifacts. was founded by retired Lt. Col. Harold (Red) Smith.

Our mission is to honour the men & women in our military & the private sector that paved the way for remotely piloted vehicles, more commonly known today as DRONES. AUVM strives to educate the public about the beginning history & uses of unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAV’s).

Drones from the early 1930’s that were used for gunnery practice, to the 1970’s when the first strike drone was born!

Red, worked in the RPV (Remotely Piloted Vehicle) sector of SAC (Strategic Air Comm&) during his 32 year military career in the US Air Force. Red was also one of the founding members of the AUVSI.

Over the course of 40 years he collected over 40 unmanned aircraft, as well as military vehicles, & other military items associated with the Vietnam War & Unmanned aviation.

We are a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit organization & rely on the support of donations & volunteers. Please see our donation & volunteer page if you are interested in contributing.

We have many rare unmanned aircraft & are invite you to book your tour today! We are located at the Caddo Mills Municipal Airport in Caddo Mills, Texas (7F3) & offer the availability to fly into the airport, if that’s an option for you.

The AUVM Founder

HAROLD F. (RED) SMITH, LT COL USAF

SECURITY CLEARANCE: Top Secret/ Special Access

Education:  Bachelor of Science, Aeronautics & Aerospace (AA), at the University of Colorado, a Master of Science, Engineering Administration, at Southern Methodist University, & achieved Professional Engineer (P.E.) status in 1972.  

Red is one of the original founders of the National Association for Remotely Piloted Vehicles (NARPV) which became the Association for Unmanned Vehicles International (AUVSI), & he was the second National President of NARPV.  He was a program management principal in the Vietnam era for remotely piloted vehicle programs, including Long Arm Decoy, Lightning Bug photo reconnaissance in Vietnam, Electronic Warfare in Combat Angel, Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) in Combat Dawn & Strike in Have Lemon Task 05.  He served in RPV Systems at SAC Headquarters, the Big Safari Office, & the Drone/RPV System Project Office (SPO) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, & in Vietnam & Thailand. 

With a total of 15 months in the Vietnam war, Colonel Smith holds many military awards, among them the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal twice, the USAF Commendation Medal, the Vietnam Campaign medal with five battle stars, & a USAF Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V.”  He is a recipient of the Operations Award at the 1989 National NARPV Convention in Washington, D.C. for his contribution to the unmanned community, & was similarly recognized by the Air Force Association.  He retired from the USAF as Chief of the Operations Support Branch of the Drone/RPV System Project Office, & is an Associate Fellow in the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA) & a Life Member of the Air Force Association (AFA). 

Military Experience:  Chairman, Systems Concepts Panel, USAF RPV MISSION ANALYSIS, Deputy for Plans, HQ ASD, WPAFB, OHIO 45433. Responsible for formulating concepts for the future roadmap for Drone/ RPV employment in USAF. Evolved the Multi-Mission concept for the BGM-34C, May of 1973/1974. Pave Spike Program Manager, RWRS, WPAFB, OHIO 45433. Acquisition Manager for LASER designator for the F-4 Phantom Aircraft. Task included concurrent D, T&E, Pre-Production, I, O, T&E, & combat deployment to Southeast Asia, JUNE 1972 to MAY 1973. Vietnam War, Vietnam Bien Hoa Airbase 1968 During the Vietcong Tet Offensive.

Services

Exhibits

BGM-34B ATTACK & MULTI-MISSION RPV

The AUVM founder, LT COL HAROLD (RED) F. SMITH, acquired the drone approximately 30 years ago. The drone has been pulled out of storage & we have began the restoration process.  We are in the mock up phase of the restoration, & it’s a bit painstaking as we currently are lacking manuals. We will update the Facebook page & our website as progress is made.

“In the late 1960s, the Navy studied the possibility to convert the BQM-34A Firebee target drone to a remote-controlled anti-ship missile. In several test flights, BQM-34As equipped with a TV system in the nose, were successfully flown by remote “pilots” watching the TV image. Precision low-level flight above the sea was made possible by the Ryan-developed RALACS (Radar Altimeter Low Altitude Control System). In September 1971, successful tests of Model 248 missiles (called “BQM/SSM”) against ship targets showed the validity of the basic concept, but the project was terminated due to lack of funding.”

“In the same year, the USAF showed interest in a development of the Firebee I to be used for enemy air-defence suppression, because of the high loss rate in these missions. In March 1971, Teledyne Ryan received a contract to convert four Model 147S drones to BGM-34A (Model 234) configuration. Like the Navy’s BQM/SSM, the BGM-34A was piloted by an operator watching a TV image transmitted from the drone’s nose. In tests during 1971/72, the BGM-34As successfully launched AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles & electro-optically guided glide bombs against simulated SAM sites. Interestingly, almost 30 years later a firing of an AGM-114 Hellfire missile by an MQ-1L Predator UAV was much hyped as a breakthrough in armed UAV technology. ”

Following the successful BGM-34A tests, Teledyne Ryan developed the BGM-34B (Model 234A) operational strike RPV. This featured the higher-rated J69-T-41A engine, a modified tail, larger control surfaces, & improved operational capabilities. Eight BGM-34Bs were built, & tested in 1973/74. The tests included the modification of some of the drones with a new nose containing a LLLTV (Low Light Level Television) camera & a laser designator, to act as a “pathfinder” for weapon-carrying RPVs.”

Radioplane OQ-2

The OQ-2 is a simple aircraft, powered by a two-cylinder two-cycle piston engine, providing 6 horsepower (4.5 kW) & driving two contra-rotating propellers. The RC control system was built by Bendix.

Launching was by catapult only & recovered by parachute should it survive the target practice. The landing gear was used only on the OQ-2 versions as sold to the Army to cushion the landing by parachute.

None of the drones including the improved variants shipped to the Navy had landing gear. The subsequent variants delivered to the Army did not have landing gear.

The OQ-2 led to a series of similar but improved variants, with the OQ-3 / TDD-2 & OQ-14 / TDD-3 produced in quantity. During the war Radioplane manufactured nearly fifteen thousand drones. The company was bought by Northrop in 1952.

Northrop BQM/MQM-74 “Chukar”

The BQM/MQM-74 “Chukar” is a series of aerial target drones produced by Northrop. It is a recoverable, remote controlled, subsonic aerial target drone, capable of speeds up to Mach 0.86 & altitudes from 30 feet to 40,000 feet.

It was introduced in 1968 & many are still in service.  It is normally launched from a DC-130 aircraft, but can also be launched from strike fighters such as the F-15 & F-16 as well as from ships.

In the 1991 Gulf War, BQM-74Cs were used as decoys during the initial air attacks into Iraq. When Iraqi air defence radar sites began tracking them, allied strike fighters were then able to launch anti-radiation missiles to destroy the sites. The U.S. Air Force was put in charge of this multi-service decoy effort, which was codenamed “Project Scathe Mean.”

MQM-57 Falconer

Surveillance Drone 1 or SD-1—originally was a target for training anti-aircraft gunners.  The MQM-57 became the Army’s 1st unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, Equipped with still picture & TV cameras in 1955! The drone was launched off of a take off st& with two RATO Boosters. A remote pilot controlled the Falconer with radio signals & tracked by radar.

Crew: 0

Length: 13, 4″

Wingspan: 11′ 6″

Weight: 430 LBS

Service Ceiling: 15,000′

Max Speed: 184  MPH

Range: 100 Miles

Flight Time: 30-60 MINS

QH-50 Gyrodyne- DASH “Lucy”

DASH was a major part of the United States Navy’s Fleet Rehabilitation & Modernization (FRAM) program of the late 1950s.

FRAM was started because the Soviet Union was building submarines faster than the US could build anti-submarine frigates. Instead of building frigates, the FRAM upgrade series allowed the US to rapidly update by converting older ships that were less useful in modern naval combat. The navy could upgrade the sonar on World War II-era destroyers but needed a st&-off weapon to attack at the perimeter of the sonar’s range. The old destroyers had little room for add-ons such as a full flight deck.

The original DASH concept was a light drone helicopter that could release a nuclear depth charge or torpedoes. The aircraft was considered expendable.

Culver PQ-14 Cadet

In 1940, before the Air Force, The US Army Crops desired a radio controlled target drone for anti-aircraft gunnery practice. The aircraft was unique as it was both manned, & unmanned operated.

Length: 19,6″

Wingspan: 30′

Height: 8’4

Powerplant: Franklin 6cyl, 150 HP

Max Speed: 185 MPH

Cruise Speed: 150 MPH

Range: 512 Miles

The Culver was first flown in 1942! The drone was flown un-mannned, by radio control via mothership, Beech C-45. Most drones were destroyed in the Sky by anti-aircraft gunners, but a few survived included this one. It will under go restoration.

The bird has been in storage for 40 YEARS! We just got it mock assembled & rolling on it’s landing gear!

Lockheed X7-A

Lockheed X7-A “Flying Stove Pipe” was designed to test Ram Jet engines & our air defences against nuclear missile attack. The drone was tested against our SAM’s, & the X7 outperformed the missiles & only a few hits were achieved; Due to the pressure & embarrassment put on the military, the X7 project was trashed. Besides the SAM testing, the X-7 was also used to test communication equipment, testing aerodynamics, thermodynamics, parachute systems, & booster propellants.

Specs:

Length: 32’9″

Wingspan: 12′

Height: 7′

Weight: 8,000 lbs

Speed: 2800 MPH

Ceiling: 100,000′

Range: 130 Miles

Booster: X202 C3 Solid Rocket Fuel, 467 kN for approx 4 seconds.

Beechcraft MQM-61 Cardinal

The MQM-61A target drone was a simple monoplane with a vee tail. The drone was used for gunnery & air-to-air combat training. Powered by a flat six air cooled, two stroke piston engine & a two blade propeller. The drone could tow targets or banners, with two targets under each wing. Launched via RATO BOOSTER, parachute recovery.

Crew: 0

Length: 15′ 1″

Wingspan: 13′

Weight: 664 LBS

Engine: McCulloch TC6150-J-2 125 HP

Max Speed: 350 MPH

Flight time: 1 HR

Service Ceiling: 43,000′

Beechcraft AQM-37 Jayhawk

The AQM-37 Jayhawk is an air launched Supersonic target drone capable of simulating inbound ICBM warheads for shoot down exercises. First flight 1961, & still remains in service. Driven by a liquid rocket fuelled motor, one of the high performance models was able to attain a speed of Mach 4.7!

Crew: 0

Length: 14′

Wingspan: 3’4″

Weight: 620 LBS

Engine: Rocketdyne LR64-NA-4 liquid fuelled rocket, 850 LBF

Max Speed: Mach 4.0

Range: 113 Miles

Service Ceiling: 100,000′

Northrop KD2R5

The BTT, Basic Training Target, MQM-36A. The target drone was equipped with an AN/ARW-79 radio comm& guidance system with automatic altitude hold, the target drone could be tracked by radar. Optional equipment ranged from flare kits, radar reflector pods on the wingtips, towed targets/ banners. We have original tow banners.

Crew: 0

Length: 12′ 7″

Wingspan: 11′ 6″

Weight: 400 LBS

Engine: McCulloch O-100-2 piston engine, 90 HP

Max Speed: 224 MPH

Flight time: 1 HR

Service Ceiling: 27,000′

RX Radar-Augmented Tow Target

TRX radar-augmented tow target is designed for use with any gun or missile weapons system that requires a radar signature for acquisition, tracking, ranging, guidance or fusing.

The TRX’s normally passive radar-augmentation system uses the arrangement of lenses or reflectors to change the target radar signature to effectively emulate a variety of airborne threats.

The TRX also operates within a wide range of bands to meet precision radar signature

requirements. Varying Radar Cross Section (RCS) sizes are provided by either the TRX-1 4 passive precision target or through active augmentation. ultra-small, (stealth type) radar characteristics are also available.

To increase the system’s value for testing & training, the TRX has the capability to support virtually any current acoustic or doppler radar scoring system.

Gallery