Navy SWOD Mk 9 "Bat" Glide Bomb (1945)‏

[jzichek]

Check out this article at RetroMechanix.com on a USAAF evaluation of the Navy "Special Weapons Ordnance Device" (SWOD) Mark 9 "Bat" radar-guided glide bomb dating from 1945:



The Bat was one of the world's earliest fully-automatic, target-seeking "smart" weapon systems. In 1945, the Air Force sent a liaison officer to observe the employment of this radar-guided glide bomb by Navy PB4Y-2 Privateer squadrons against Japanese ships. The article reproduces the entire report, along with 10 photos of the Bat and its associated equipment; these provide excellent reference for those wishing to model Privateers equipped with these innovative weapons.

-Jared

[Go4fun]

Interesting.

[RussC]

Very ambitious, given the electronics of the day. Stacks up well against the Henschel rocket/glide device or Fritz - X.

[Joe C-P]

The USN also had an effective homing torpedo for sub-hunting during WW2.

[Go4fun]

Holy 'Big Bang" Batman!

The Joker better watch out!

I just couldn't resist.
Andy

[rickshaw]

The USN also had an effective homing torpedo for sub-hunting during WW2.

So did the Germans and the British.  The Germans had Acoustic and Wake-homing torpedoes IIRC.  The British Acoustic ones.