W
Wingknut
Guest
Hi folks,
Not aircraft as such, although they did descend from the air, but included here as almost the opposite of stealth, i.e. rather than flying things made to look smaller than they actually are (whether optically, acoustically or on radar), behold British ('Rupert') and American ('Oscar') WW2 paradummies, airdropped decoys designed to look/sound bigger than they are:
http://web.archive.org/web/20100326052243/http://home.att.net/~1.elliott/paratrooperdummyhistorysite.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20091003232059/http://home.att.net/~1.elliott/decoyparadummies.JPG
http://web.archive.org/web/20070227231834/http://home.att.net/~1.elliott/britishrupertparadummy.JPG
http://web.archive.org/web/20090302170206/http://home.att.net/~1.elliott/firstamericantestparadummy.html
As shown, ‘Rupert’ versions include ‘SDV’ (‘self-destroying version’) types, some of which included “rifle fire simulation” and “explosive initiation box to simulate rifle fire or grenades” to recreate sights and noises as of a much larger airborne assault. American ‘Oscar’ paradummies seem a lot more convincing-looking, I have to say.
More images here: http://www.tweedewereldoorlog.nl/100voorwerpen/en/voorwerp/rupert-doll/
I have seen references to German paradummies too but so far images elude me.
Skyblazer has this thread on the Bristol (US) "Skeet" 1942 target glider, which "had a full-scale cousin that probably was considered a live decoy for real aircraft", http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,11083.msg104329.html#msg104329
But other than that, I don’t know of any plans for WW2-era flying decoys. Happy to hear if there were any more though …
Thanks, ‘Wingknut’
Not aircraft as such, although they did descend from the air, but included here as almost the opposite of stealth, i.e. rather than flying things made to look smaller than they actually are (whether optically, acoustically or on radar), behold British ('Rupert') and American ('Oscar') WW2 paradummies, airdropped decoys designed to look/sound bigger than they are:
http://web.archive.org/web/20100326052243/http://home.att.net/~1.elliott/paratrooperdummyhistorysite.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20091003232059/http://home.att.net/~1.elliott/decoyparadummies.JPG
http://web.archive.org/web/20070227231834/http://home.att.net/~1.elliott/britishrupertparadummy.JPG
http://web.archive.org/web/20090302170206/http://home.att.net/~1.elliott/firstamericantestparadummy.html
As shown, ‘Rupert’ versions include ‘SDV’ (‘self-destroying version’) types, some of which included “rifle fire simulation” and “explosive initiation box to simulate rifle fire or grenades” to recreate sights and noises as of a much larger airborne assault. American ‘Oscar’ paradummies seem a lot more convincing-looking, I have to say.
More images here: http://www.tweedewereldoorlog.nl/100voorwerpen/en/voorwerp/rupert-doll/
I have seen references to German paradummies too but so far images elude me.
Skyblazer has this thread on the Bristol (US) "Skeet" 1942 target glider, which "had a full-scale cousin that probably was considered a live decoy for real aircraft", http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,11083.msg104329.html#msg104329
But other than that, I don’t know of any plans for WW2-era flying decoys. Happy to hear if there were any more though …
Thanks, ‘Wingknut’
