Word: pilotless
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...Force calls its swift missile the "Matador," the airman's latest argument in the debate over close ground support. With it, the U.S. Air Force has the first operational pilotless missile which can plant an atomic bomb in support of U.S. troops in the field...
Five years ago at Bikini, bombs had been detonated underwater and dropped from planes. This time, all the charges-and the AEC would not give the number -were fired from steel towers that vaporized in the fierce heat of the explosions. Radio-guided, pilotless planes flew in & around the blast areas, carrying sensitive instruments to register a wide variety of effects. On the ground, close by the tall towers, other devices responded to events that took place in less than a millionth of a second, transmitted their observations to remote recorders before vanishing in the swirling turbulence. Pigs, dogs...
Things picked up a little last year as the Navy began ordering land-based patrol planes, pilotless aircraft and other equipment. (Martin's current backlog of military orders: about $75 million.) To help get the company squarely back on its feet, aging (64) President Glenn Martin moved himself up as chairman and brought in 43-year-old C. C. (for Chester Charles) Pearson, a onetime executive of Douglas Aircraft and a vice president of Curtiss-Wright, as his successor. With a sharp eye on overhead, Pearson sold off Martin's sidelines and managed...