Naval Aircraft Factory TDN

The Naval Aircraft Factory TDN was an early unmanned combat aerial vehicle - referred to at the time as an "assault drone" - developed by the United States Navy's Naval Aircraft Factory during the Second World War. Developed and tested during 1942 and 1943, the design proved moderately successful, but development of improved drones saw the TDN-1 relegated to second-line duties, and none were used in operational service.

Design and development

The development of the radar altimeter and television in the early 1940s made remotely guided, bomb- or torpedo-carrying aircraft a practical proposition, and in January 1942, the Naval Aircraft Factory was instructed to initiate the development of such an aircraft, with a go-ahead for prototype construction being given in February. A production contract for 100 aircraft was issued in March, with John S. Kean being assigned as project manager of the TDN-1 project, with the aircraft being designed to be capable of using either television or radar as its guidance system. Constructed mainly from wood, the TDN-1 had a fixed tricycle landing gear, and could be fitted with a conventional cockpit in place of its guidance equipment for test flights.

TDN

TDN may refer to: