ADM-20 Quail
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219229252
2008-06-14T05:28:30Z
Rlandmann
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/* See also */
{{Infobox Weapon
|is_missile=yes
|name=ADM-20 Quail
|image=[[Image:601010-F-0000H-061.jpg|300px]]
|caption=
|origin=
|type=[[Cruise Missile]]
|used_by=
|manufacturer=[[McDonnell Aircraft]]
|unit_cost=
|propellant=
|production_date=November 1957
|service=[[September 13]], [[1960]]
|engine=[[General Electric J85|General Electric J85-GE-7 turbojet]]; 2,450 lbf (10.9 kN) thrust.
|engine_power=
|weight=1,198 lb (543 kg)
|length=12 ft 9 in (3.88 m)
|height=2 ft 1 in (0.66 m) (wings folded); 3 ft 3 in (1.02 m) (wings unfolded).
|diameter=
|wingspan=2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) (wings folded); 5 ft 4 in (1.65 m) (wings unfolded).
|speed=0.9 Mach
|vehicle_range=445 miles (716 km)
|ceiling=50,000 ft (15,200 m)
|altitude=50,000 ft (15,200 m).
|filling=None
|guidance=[[Autopilot]] integrated with a [[Rate integrating gyroscope]] pre-programmed to turn the '''ADM-20'''.
|detonation=
|launch_platform=[[B-52 Stratofortress]].
}}
The '''McDonnell ADM-20 Quail''' was a [[Subsonic aircraft|subsonic]], [[Jet engine|jet]] powered, [[Air launch|air-launched]] [[decoy]] [[cruise missile]] built by [[McDonnell Aircraft]] Corporation. The Quail was designed to be launched by the [[Boeing]] [[B-52 Stratofortress]] strategic bomber and its original [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] designation was GAM-72 (GAM standing for Guided Aircraft Missile)<ref>[http://pdsimg.jpl.nasa.gov/AdminDev/internal/helpfiles/acronyms/g.html NASA list of Space Related Acronyms]</ref>.
==Development==
In 1955 the USAF started a major effort to construct decoy [[missile]]s. The goal of this effort was to improve the ability of [[strategic bomber]]s to penetrate [[anti-aircraft warfare|air-defense systems]]. The projects initiated under this effort included the MX-2223 which produced the [[XSM-73 Goose]] a long range ground-launched jet powered, decoy cruise missile, MX-2224 which produced the [[XGAM-71 Buck Duck]] an air-launched [[rocket]] powered decoy missile to equip the [[Convair B-36]].
The USAF was at the same time developing the [[Northrop AQM-35|XQ-4]] as a [[supersonic]] target [[drone]] to support the [[Bomarc Missile Program]]. A requirement was established by the USAF Power Plant Laboratory at [[Wright-Patterson Air Force Base]] to support follow-on production of the XQ-4. This requirement called for a small jet engine in the 2,000 lbf (8.9 kN) [[thrust]] class with a high [[thrust-to-weight ratio]] of (10:1). On [[November 28]], [[1954]] General Electric was awarded a USAF development [[contract]] to construct the [[General Electric J85|XJ-85-GE-1]]. The USAF designated the [[General Electric J85|XJ85]] project MX-2273.
During April 1955, the USAF began a program to develop a short range air-launched decoy missile to [[simulation|simulate]] the [[radar cross section]]. In [[January 18]], [[1956]], the USAF released General Operational Requirement (GOR) 139.
==Design==
McDonnell Aircraft Corporation submitted a design which included a cropped-delta-wing decoy constructed largely of [[fiberglass]] and carried internally within a B-52. The following month on [[February 1]], [[1956]], the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation was awarded a [[contract]] to develop Weapon System 122A which included the GAM-72 ''Green Quail'' missile. In June 1956 [[General Electric]] was selected as the engine contractor for the GAM-72. Guidance components were built by Summers Gyroscope and the countermeasures equipment by [[TRW|Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation]].
The GAM-72 was designed with a high-mounted [[delta wing]] and no [[tailplane|horizontal stabilizer]]. A slab-sided [[fuselage]] and two sets of [[vertical stabilizer]]s contributed to the GAM-72s ability to [[simulation|simulate]] the [[radar cross section]] of a [[bomber]]. Initially the GAM-72 was powered by a [[General Electric J85|YJ85-GE-3]]. This jet engine produced 2,450 lbf (10.9 kN) of [[thrust]] with a [[thrust-to-weight ratio]] goal of (6:1).
The GAM-72s guidance system could be pre-programmed on the ground to execute two turns and one speed change during a flight time of 45 to 55 minutes. Flight duration depended on [[altitude]]. The GAM-72 was designed to operate at altitudes between 35,000 ft (10,668 m) to 50,000 ft (15,240 m) at speeds between [[Mach number|Mach]] 0.75 to Mach 0.9. Range varied between 357 nm and 445 nm (661 to 716 km), also depending on altitude.
Two GAM-72s with folded wings and stabilizers were packaged together for mounting in the bomber [[bomb bay|weapons bay]]. Before launch the bomber's [[radar]] [[navigator]] lowered the GAM-72 using a retractable arm from the airplane's weapons bay into the [[slipstream]] below the aircraft. The wings and stabilizers of the GAM-72 were unfolded, the jet engine was started, and the missile was launched.
Flight testing of the XGAM-72 began in July 1957 at [[Holloman Air Force Base]] and the adjacent [[White Sands Missile Range]]. Initially testing involved the XGAM-72 being captively carried by a B-52. The first glide flight of the XGAM-72 occurred in November 1957. Three test [[launch]]es were completed in 1957. The first successful powered flight of the XGAM-72 occurred in August 1958. This flight lasted 14 minutes and covered 103 nautical<!--assumed from conversion to 191 km--> miles (191 km). A total of ten test flights occurred in 1958, seventeen flights in 1959, with the final four flights being completed in 1960. Operational testing then moved to [[Eglin Air Force Base]], [[Florida]], [[United States]] where the 4135th Strategic [[Wing (air force unit)|Wing]] launched a GAM-72 on [[June 8]], [[1960]].
McDonnell Aircraft received a production contract for the GAM-72A on [[December 31]], [[1958]]. Reliability problems encountered during testing resulted in McDonnell replacing the [[General Electric J85|J85-GE-3]] with the [[General Electric J85|J85-GE-7]] engine in the production GAM-72A. The GAM-72A was also about 200 lb (90 kg) heavier than the GAM-72. This increase in weight when combined with a slightly smaller wing area reduced the maximum range of the GAM-72A to 402 statute<!--assumed from conversion to 648 km, though 647 better--> miles (647 km). The first production GAM-72A flight was in March 1960. The final GAM-72A was delivered by McDonnell Aircraft on [[May 28]], [[1962]]. A total of 616 GAM-72A missiles were produced by McDonnell Aircraft. The inventory of GAM-72As in the USAF peaked at 492 in 1963.
During 1963 all remaining GAM-72A missiles were modified to the GAM-72B configuration. A [[barometric]] switch for terrain avoidance was added so the GAM-72B could operate at lower altitudes.
In 1963 the GAM-72 was re-designated the '''ADM-20'''
{| class="wikitable"
! Old Designation || New Designation
|-
| GAM-72 || ADM-20A
|-
| GAM-72A || ADM-20B
|-
| GAM-72B || ADM-20C
|}
==Operational history==
Although originally planned for deployment with the [[B-47 Stratojet|B-47]] and the B-52, the GAM-72A was only deployed with the B-52.
The first production GAM-72A was delivered to the 4135th Strategic [[Wing (air force unit)|Wing]], at [[Eglin Air Force Base]], [[Florida]] on [[September 13]], [[1960]]. Initial operational capability was reached on [[February 1]], [[1961]] when the first squadron of the 4135th Strategic Wing was equipped with the GAM-72A. On [[January 1]], [[1962]] B-52 aircraft carried the GAM-72A decoy on airborne alert for the first time. Full operational capability was reached when the GAM-72A was deployed with the fourteenth and final B-52 [[squadron]] on [[April 15]], [[1962]].
The operational version of the GAM-72 carried internal radar reflectors facing forward and to each side of the aircraft. Up to 100 lb (45 kg) of payload could be accommodated internally by the GAM-72. This internal space could be used to house a radar [[repeater]] or a [[Chaff (radar countermeasure)|chaff]] [[dispenser]]. An infrared burner in the tail could produce intense heat to simulate the heat signature of a bomber. The GAM-72 was not armed.
Eight GAM-72A decoys could be accommodated in the B-52s [[bomb bay|weapons bay]] but the normal decoy load was two.
Ground radar continued to improve, and the GAM-72B now "ADM-20C"s effectiveness decreased over time. The [[AGM-69 SRAM|AGM-69 Short Range Attack Missile(SRAM)]] allowed bombers to attack air-defense systems from a distance. By 1971, the USAF no longer considered the ADM-20C a credible decoy. The commander of the [[Strategic Air Command]] wrote the [[Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force]] "that the Quail was only slightly better than nothing." The last ADM-20C operational test was flown at Eglin Air Force Base on [[July 13]], [[1972]]. On [[June 30]], [[1978]], the last ADM-20C came off alert status. The last ADM-20C was removed from the United States Air Force inventory on [[December 15]], 1978.
==Variants==
*'''GAM-72''' - 24 test [[missile]]s produced
*'''GAM-72A''' - 592 [[missile]]s produced.
*'''GAM-72B''' - Upgrade to remaining '''GAM-72A''' [[missile]]s.
*'''ADM-20A''' - '''GAM-72''' re-designated in June 1963
*'''ADM-20B''' - '''GAM-72A''' re-designated in June 1963
*'''ADM-20C''' - '''GAM-72B''' re-designated in June 1963
==Operator==
* {{USA}}
** [[United States Air Force]]
The number of '''GAM-72A'''s in service, by year:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
| 1960
| 1961
| 1962
| 1963
| 1964
| 1965
| 1966
| 1967
| 1968
| 1969
| 1970
| 1971
| 1972
| 1973
| 1974
| 1975
| 1976
| 1977
|-
! No. in Service
| 93
| 397
| 436
| 492
| 477
| 465
| 457
| 448
| 445
| 430
| 430
| 430
| 417
| 417
| 415
| 355
| 355
| 354
|}
==Survivors==
*'''ADM-20C''' S/N 69-700 located in the [[National Museum of the United States Air Force]], [[Wright-Patterson Air Force Base]], [[Dayton, Ohio]], [[United States]].
*'''ADM-20''' S/N 61-347 located in the [[Eighth Air Force Museum]], [[Barksdale Air Force Base]], [[Bossier City, Louisiana |Bossier City]], [[Louisiana]], United States.
*'''ADM-20''' S/N 60-593 located in the Eighth Air Force Museum, Barksdale Air Force Base.
*'''ADM-20''' located in the [[Aerospace Museum of California]], [[Sacramento]], [[California]], United States.
*'''ADM-20''' S/N 59-2249 located in the [[Air Force Space and Missile Museum]], [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station]], [[Florida]], United States.
*'''ADM-20''' S/N 60-505 located in the [[South Dakota Air and Space Museum]], [[Ellsworth Air Force Base]], [[Rapid City, South Dakota|Rapid City]], [[South Dakota]], United States.
*'''ADM-20''' S/N 59-2245 located in the [[Armed Forces and Aerospace Museum]], [[Spokane, Washington|Spokane]], [[Washington]], United States.
*'''ADM-20C''' S/N 61-633 located in the [[Hill Aerospace Museum]], [[Ogden, Utah|Ogden]], [[Utah]], United States.
*'''ADM-20C''' located in the [[Historic Aviation Memorial Museum]], [[Tyler, Texas|Tyler]], [[Texas]], United States.
*'''ADM-20C''' S/N 61-414 located in [[Gwinn, Michigan|Gwinn]], [[Michigan]], United States.
*'''ADM-20C''' located in the [[Pima Air & Space Museum]], [[Tucson, Arizona|Tucson]], [[Arizona]], United States.
*'''ADM-20C''' S/N 60-374 located in the [[Western Aerospace Museum]], [[Oakland, California|Oakland]], California, United States.
*'''ADM-20C''' S/N 60-755 located in the [[Southern Museum of Flight]], [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]], [[Alabama]], United States.
*'''ADM-20C''' S/N 61-455 located in the [[Lone Star Flight Museum]], [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]], [[Texas]], United States.
*'''ADM-20''' S/N 64-2573 located in the [[Museum of Aviation]], [[Robins Air Force Base]], [[Warner Robins]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], United States.
==References==
{{reflist}}
* ''McDonnell ADM-20 Quail'', Fact Sheet from the National Museum of the USAF,[http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=384]
* ''McDonald ADM-20 Quail Missile'', Strategic-Air-Command.com Website, retrieved October 1, 2007,[http://www.strategic-air-command.com/missiles/Aircraft-Launched_Missiles/adm-20_quail_missile.htm]
* ''McDonnell GAM-72/ADM-20 Quail Missile Data'', AMMS ALUMNI Website, retrieved October 2, 2007,[http://www.ammsalumni.org/html/adm-20_history_data.html]
* ''AMMS History'', AMMS ALUMNI Website, retrieved October 6, 2007, [http://www.ammsalumni.org/html/amms_history.html]
* ''McDonnell ADM-20C-40-MC "Quail" Aerial Decoy'', Historic Aviation Memorial Museum Website, retrieved October 3, 2007,[http://www.tylerhamm.com/exhibit-quail.htm]
* ''"QUAIL" AERIEL DECOY'', Hill Air Force Base Website, retrieved October 6, 2007,[http://www.hill.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=5768]
* ''[6.0] Decoys'', Greg Goebel / In The Public Domain Website, retrieved October 6, 2007,[http://www.vectorsite.net/twuav_06.html]
* ''Evolution of the Cruise Missile'', Kenneth P. Warrell, Air University Press USAF, 1985.
* ''ADM-20 Quail'', Web Page by the Federation of American Scientists, retrieved October 6, 2007, [http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/bomber/adm-20.htm]
* ''Quail'', Historical Essay by Andreas Parsch, Encyclopedia Astronautica website, retrieved October 6, 2007, [http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/quail.htm]
* ''Pre-1963 Designations Of U.S. Missiles And Drones'', Designations Systems Website, retrieved October 6, 2007, [http://www.designation-systems.net/usmilav/old-missiles.html]
* ''The History of North American Small Gas Turbine Aircraft Engines'', William Fleming and Richard Leyes, AIAA, 1999
==See also==
{{aircontent|
|related=
|similar aircraft=
* [[XSM-74|XSM-74 Buck Duck]]
* [[BQM-74 Chukar]]
* [[ADM-141 TALD|ADM-141C ITALD]]
* [[ADM-160 MALD]]
|sequence=
* '''''Current'' sequence:''' [[PGM-17 Thor]] - [[MGM-18 Lacrosse]] - [[Jupiter (missile)|PGM-19 Jupiter]] - '''ADM-20 Quail''' - [[SS.10|MGM-21 (SS.10)]] - [[SS.11|AGM-22 (SS.11)]] - [[MIM-23 Hawk]]
* '''''B-'' sequence:''' [[P-2 Neptune|B-69 (P-2 Neptune)]] - [[XB-70 Valkyrie|B-70 Valkyrie]] - [[SR-71 Blackbird|B-71 Blackbird]] - '''B-72 Quail''' - [[XSM-73 Goose|B-73 Goose]] - [[XSM-74|B-74 Buck Duck]] - [[PGM-17 Thor|B-75 Thor]]
* '''''M-'' sequence:''' [[Bomarc Missile Program|IM-69 BOMARC]] - [[RIM-8 Talos|IM-70 Talos]] - [[XGAM-71 Buck Duck|GAM-71 Buck Duck]] - '''GAM-72 Quail''' - [[XSM-73 Goose]] - [[XSM-74]] - [[PGM-17 Thor|SM-75 Thor]]
|lists=
* [[List of military aircraft of the United States]]
* [[List of missiles]]
|see also=
}}
{{US missiles}}
{{aviation lists}}
[[Category:United States special-purpose aircraft 1950-1959]]
[[Category:UAVs and drones]]
[[Category:United States Air Force guided missiles]]
[[Category:Decoy missiles of the United States]]
[[Category:Cold War weapons of the United States]]
[[Category:Guided missiles of the United States]]
[[Category:Cold War cruise missiles]]
[[de:McDonnell ADM-20]]
[[it:ADM-20 Quail]]