Manufacturer:
CULVERMarkings:
Army Air Force, Biggs AAF, El Paso, Texas 1945Designation:
PQ-14BRegistration:
N1063MSerial Number:
44-21819CULVER PQ-14B CADET
In 1940, the Culver Company was awarded a contract by the U.S. Army for a target drone aircraft based on their Cadet civilian light aircraft. Designated the PQ-8 it proved to be very successful and led to the development of the slightly larger and faster PQ-14. These all-wood drones were used throughout the United States to train both Army and Navy anti-aircraft gunners. Being descended from a piloted aircraft the PQ-14 could be flown either by remote control or by a pilot. Naturally, pilots never flew the aircraft when they were being shot at from the ground. After the war many of the surviving PQ-14s had the remote control equipment removed and sold on the civilian market.
Specifications
- Wingspan: 30 ft
- Length: 19 ft 6 in
- Height: 8 ft 5 in
- Weight: 1,830 lbs (loaded)
- Max. Speed: 180 mph
- Service Ceiling: 13,000 ft
- Range: 512 miles
- Engines: 1 Franklin O-300-11 four cylinder opposed with 125 hp
- Crew: Remote control or 1 pilot