Much more Prime Secret than the Lockheed SR-71, the D-21 drone was a promising Chilly Struggle thought that would have eradicated the necessity for manned overflights, though it was largely unsuccessful.
After the Soviet Union introduced down a Lockheed U-2 spy airplane on Could 1, 1960, and captured the pilot, Francis Gary Powers, the Chilly Struggle was heating up and President Dwight D. Eisenhower ended manned overflights of the Soviet Union. America wanted a brand new technique to reduce or get rid of incidents such because the U-2 downing sooner or later.
Lockheed’s Superior Improvement Initiatives (APD) part, often known as ‘Skunk Works’, had been engaged on the substitute for the U-2, designing an uncommon Mach 3 plane referred to as the A-12. Nevertheless, just like the U-2, the A-12 was a manned plane.
Issues inside the USA Army and the Central Intelligence Company (CIA) in the course of the peak of the Chilly Struggle over the nuclear buildup of the Soviet Union and her allies, in addition to Communist China, pressed the necessity for an unmanned reconnaissance answer. The Division of Protection (DoD) and CIA appeared to Lockheed’s Clarence ‘Kelly’ Johnson for a drone examine.
The DR-21 Drone
Starting in 1962, Lockheed’s Skunk Works labored in excessive secrecy, conserving the venture code-named Tagboard a thriller to even nearly all of these working inside Skunk Works. For lack of particular pointers, Kelly Johnson got down to design a drone with a spread of three,000 nautical miles and cameras with 6-inch floor decision.
The drone would have a digital camera payload of 425 lb and a steering system weighing 400 lb. A removable payload hatch carrying the digital camera, movie, and steering system can be electronically jettisoned from the drone as soon as the mission was achieved. The payload would then float down by way of parachute for retrieval in mid-air by a specifically outfitted C-130 cargo plane referred to as the JC-130, outfitted with a Mid-Air Restoration System (MARS). The drone would then self-destruct by way of a barometrically activated explosive cost.
Comprised primarily of titanium and composites, weighing 7,000 lb with a size of 40 ft 10 in, and a wingspan of 19 ft, the drone had spectacular efficiency. Most altitude was roughly 95,000 ft and it cruised alongside at Mach 3.3. Energy got here from a modified Marquardt RJ43-MA-11 ramjet engine that was additionally used on the Boeing CIM-10 Bomarc surface-to-air missile. The modified model turned referred to as the RJ43-MA20S-4 and produced 12,000 lb of belief.
The manta ray form and development supplies used gave the drone stealthy traits as effectively, and mixed with the three,000 nautical mile vary, Mach 3+ speeds and excessive altitude, this reconnaissance platform can be preferrred for spying deep inside enemy territory with out detection or interception.
Johnson’s proposed supply system for the drone was to piggyback the drone to an A-12, fly in worldwide airspace at Mach 3+ speeds, and launch the drone in the direction of enemy territory. A star-tracker inertial steering system may very well be continuously up to date and fed data from the A-12 up till launch.
As soon as launched, the system was totally automated, steering the drone with saved alerts despatched to its hydraulic servo actuators. Initially designated the Q-12 by Lockheed, the drone now turned formally referred to as the D-21, the ‘D’ indicating ‘Daughter’ plane, and the modified A-12 renamed the M-21, ‘M’ designating ‘Mothership’ with the numbers reversed.
Kelly Johnson took his thought to Washington D.C. in February 1963, ultimately securing a contract in March from the CIA with joint-funding offered by the USA Air Power (USAF). Tagboard was instantly probably the most carefully guarded secret at Skunk Works, with Kelly partitioning off a bit of meeting constructing housing the SR-71 venture, and restricted particular passes required to enter the work space.
The Oxcart Mothership
The Lockheed M-21 started life as an A-12 single-seat, high-altitude, Mach 3+ reconnaissance plane, which was a product of a CIA program referred to as Oxcart. Because of the plane’s form and supplies used, resembling composites and titanium, the A-12 had a small radar cross-section. Excessive altitude, excessive speeds, and stealth traits would make this plane very tough to intercept.
The A-12’s designation is derived from being the twelfth design submitted for the venture, with the ‘A’ designation being a Lockheed time period for the design efforts code-named ‘Archangel.’ Ben Wealthy of Lockheed had satisfied Kelly Johnson to make use of black (truly a really darkish blue) paint on the plane with a view to dissipate warmth, and ultimately the plane had been painted all-black incomes the title ‘Blackbirds.’ A lot of what was realized from designing and constructing the A-12 was utilized when designing the D-21.
Two A-12 airframes had been modified into M-21s: tail numbers 60-6940 and 60-6941. Modifications included the addition of a second cockpit aft of the pilot’s workplace, occupied by a Launch Management Officer (LCO). A pylon was added to the top-rear space of the fuselage for attaching the drone and launching it. A gasoline line would high off the drone’s tanks previous to launch.
Johnson supposed for the M-21 to launch the drone at speeds of Mach 3+, and the venture required a variety of engineering work to beat the shock wave and different problems with launching at these speeds. A blast of compressed air would separate the D-21 from the mothership and launching can be accomplished by flying the drone off the pylon throughout a slight pushover maneuver.
Flight Assessments
Dec. 22, 1964 was an enormous day for Lockheed’s APD part, as it might be the day of the primary flight of the M-21/D-21 mixture, in addition to the primary flight of the SR-71. Nevertheless, there have been nonetheless many issues with the system needing labored out, and though the combo reached speeds of Mach 2.6, a launch had but to be tried.
It might not be till Mar. 5, 1966 that Lockheed’s take a look at pilot for this system, Invoice Park, would takeoff from California, climb to 72,000 ft and attain a pace of Mach 3.2, with LCO Keith Bestwick launching the D-21 out over the Pacific Ocean. The drone flew 120 miles out to sea earlier than working out of gasoline and was misplaced within the ocean.
A second launch occurred on Apr. 27 of the identical 12 months with the D-21 reaching Mach 3.3 and 90,000 ft in altitude. The drone traveled over 120 nautical miles earlier than a hydraulic pump burned out and the D-21 went down after it had efficiently held its supposed course.
On June 16 one other profitable launch occurred, and as soon as once more Invoice Park was pilot, and Ray Torick was the LCO. The D-21 flew 1,600 nautical miles and made eight programmed turns whereas photographing a number of islands from an altitude of 92,000 ft. Every part labored effectively minus the ejection of the digital camera/movie payload, which failed because of an digital concern.
With the digital ejection of the payload issues hopefully solved, a fourth take a look at was tried on Jul. 30. On this try, Kelly Johnson’s worst fears turned a actuality. Whereas making an attempt to launch the D-21 from the M-21 (60-6941) at Mach 3.25, the drone struck the rear of the mothership. The M-21, once more crewed by Invoice Park and Ray Torick, pitched up because of the impression, inflicting the nostril of the plane to be torn off. The underside chine space of the M-21 was being subjected to a Mach 3.2 airstream, which ripped the fuselage physique from the wing platform.
Park and Torick discovered themselves topic to excessive g-forces as they tumbled via the sky nonetheless of their cockpits. They ejected at excessive altitude and excessive pace, surviving the crash. Nevertheless, Torick would drown after his stress go well with crammed with water; Park can be rescued by helicopter 150 miles out to sea after an hour within the water. Lockheed pilot Artwork Peterson and LCO Beswick had been within the chase plane, the opposite M-21 (60-940), witnessing and filming the incident. Johnson was shaken by the lack of a Lockheed take a look at pilot and plane, and cancelled the M-21/D-21 program.
Video footage of D-21 separation from the M-21, in addition to footage shot by Artwork Peterson and Keith Beswick from the chase plane, M-21 60-940.
Mission Senior Bowl
Nonetheless believing within the potential of the D-21 however unwilling to danger any extra Lockheed pilots or plane, Kelly Johnson persuaded President Lyndon Johnson’s administration to authorize using Boeing B-52 strategic bombers as motherships for the drones. Two specifically outfitted B-52H plane (60-0036 and 60-0021) had been offered and operated from Beale Air Power Base (AFB) in California, with the 4200th Take a look at Wing.
Launching the D-21 from the slower and decrease flying B-52 can be safer, nevertheless it offered a brand new set of issues. To ensure that the drone to achieve its operational pace and altitude, a big rocket booster must be mated to the underside of the D-21. This modified rocket-boosted model was designated the D-21B. The B-52 would launch the drones at round 40,000 ft, the booster would ignite accelerating the D-21 to Mach 3.2. The booster then separated and the drone’s ramjet would then present propulsion. The B-52’s may carry two D-21s, one underneath every wing; the second drone offering a backup ought to the primary one ought to fail. This new operation can be referred to as Senior Bowl.
A number of take a look at flights occurred in the course of the late Nineteen Sixties, with 5 reported successes of recovering the digital camera payload bay, 4 instances by a JC-130 in mid-air, and as soon as within the ocean. By late 1969, considerations had been rising over Communist China’s nuclear weapons applications. A particular committee of Air Power and CIA analysts was recommending scorching missions over China to the Government Committee of the Nationwide Safety Council (EXCOM). EXCOM accredited and despatched the advice on to President Richard Nixon.
A lone B-52 carrying two D-21Bs took to the skies within the pre-dawn hours of Nov. 9, 1969, leaving Beale AFB and flying westward on the primary operational mission of the Tagboard drone. The B-52s of Senior Bowl operated throughout midnights to keep up tight safety whereas carrying the extremely categorized drones.
The goal of the mission was delicate Chinese language websites, together with the Lop Nor nuclear take a look at facility. Touchdown at Anderson AFB, Guam, the mission would proceed the following day. At a pre-determined level, the drone was launched from the B-52 past the attain of Chinese language early-warning radar programs. The D-21B accelerated and climbed with the booster working completely.
Reaching the pre-programed altitude of 84,000 ft and cruising at Mach 3.27, it appears the Chinese language had no thought it was there. Nevertheless, whereas the D-21 had entered China, it then merely disappeared. Kelly Johnson may solely conclude the steering system failed, and the drone had flown on throughout China and doubtless into Siberia of the Soviet Union the place it might have ran out of gasoline and crashed.
A really profitable nonoperational mission was flown on Feb. 20, 1970, with the D-21 reaching over 95,000 ft in altitude and hitting all of its checkpoints. Nevertheless, inner considerations and politics prevented any additional drone operations, and this system sat idle for a time.
On Dec. 16, 1970, a second operational mission was launched. Lop Nor was reached, the D-21 adopted its programmed flight path, returned to the restoration level, however a failure with the parachute prevented restoration of the digital camera payload hatch and it was misplaced at sea.
The third operational mission befell on Mar. 4, 1971, ensuing once more in a profitable flight over Lop Nor. The D-21 returned to its launch level as soon as once more, and the digital camera payload separated and deployed its parachute. The mid-air restoration failed, with the hatch falling into the ocean. A U.S. Navy destroyer tried to recuperate the cargo, however the ship struck the floating hatch and despatched it to the ocean ground.
The fourth Senior Bowl flight was on Mar. 20, 1971. The D-21 was misplaced over China’s Yunnan province, the place wreckage was recovered by native authorities. That wreckage is now on show on the China Aviation Museum. This may be the final D-21 mission with this system being cancelled on July 23, 1971, and by no means producing a single picture of delicate areas of China.
Nixon was making an attempt to enhance relations with China, and satellites had improved and had been capable of carry out most of the missions supposed for the D-21. A complete of 38 D-21/D-21B drones had been produced, six D-21s and 34 D-21Bs (two transformed from present D-21s).
In an fascinating aspect notice, in February 1986, Ben Wealthy was offered at his Lockheed workplace with a panel from a D-21 by a CIA agent. The agent requested Wealthy if he may establish the piece. Wealthy knew what it was, it was a panel from the drone’s engine mount, and requested the agent the place he had obtained it. The CIA agent revealed it was a present from a Soviet KGB agent, who claimed a Siberian shepherd had discovered it. The destiny of the primary Senior Bowl drone had been revealed.
