Belgian Wings
Belgian Air Force, past and present.
The Aeronautical Reference Site - De Luchtvaart Referentie Site - Le site référence de l'Aéronautique
Northrop (Radioplane) KD2R-3 Quail & KD2R-5 Shelduck
Target Towing Drone
In May 1954 a special unit called the "Radio Controlled Aerial Target Detachment" was created within the Ground-Air Artillery School (Luchtdoelartillerieschool/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne) of the Belgian Army at Lombardsijde barracks. This unit received between 24 and 30 Northrop KD2R-3 or OQ-19D (later MQM-33B) target towing drones acquired for the School. Rail launched from the seashore these drones were pulling target-banners along the coastline onto which different types of artillery hardware were used. At the end of each flight the drones descended on a parachute into the sea and could be recuperated for a new mission. In the mid sixties some 30 improved Northrop KD2R-5 Shelducks (MQM-36) were acquired. The Shelduck was equipped with an autopilot and had the option to cary radar reflectors (Luneberg lens) on its wingtips that augmented its radar signature. Finally the Belgian Army also acquired 4 MQM-57 Falconer or SD-1 surveillance drones for the benefit of testing. No follow on orders materialised as the locally designed and produced MBLE Epervier jet powered recce drones became available.
B04
History
Type
KD2R-3
C/N
-
Luchtdoelartillerie school/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne
B16
History
Type
KD2R-3
C/N
-
Luchtdoelartillerie school/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne
B27
History
Type
KD2R-3
C/N
-
Luchtdoelartillerie school/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne, preserved Royal Army Museum (WHI)
B40
History
Type
KD2R-3
C/N
-
Luchtdoelartillerie school/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne
B52
History
Type
KD2R-5
C/N
-
Luchtdoelartillerie school/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne, preserved Nijkerk (Nl.)
B53
History
Type
KD2R-5
C/N
-
Luchtdoelartillerie school/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne
B60
History
Type
KD2R-5
C/N
-
Luchtdoelartillerie school/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne, preserved Amstelveen (Nl.)
B62
History
Type
KD2R-5
C/N
-
Luchtdoelartillerie school/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne, preserved Uithoorn (Nl.)
B63
History
Type
KD2R-5
C/N
Luchtdoelartillerie school/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne, preserved Lombardsijde.
B71
History
Type
KD2R-5
C/N
-
Luchtdoelartillerie school/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne
S02
History
Type
SD-1
C/N
-
Luchtdoelartillerie school/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne, preserved Royal Army Museum (WHI)
T39
History
Type
KD2R-3
C/N
-
Luchtdoelartillerie school/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne
T55
History
Type
KD2R-5
C/N
-
Luchtdoelartillerie school/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne, preserved in The Netherlands
T60
History
Type
KD2R-5
C/N
-
Luchtdoelartillerie school/Ecole d'Artillerie Antiaérienne, preserved Putten (Nl.)