Aviolanda AT-21
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| AT-21 | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Target drone |
| National origin | Netherlands |
| Manufacturer | Aviolanda |
| Primary user | Royal Netherlands Navy |
| History | |
| First flight | 1955 |
The Aviolanda AT-21 was a target drone developed in the Netherlands by Aviolanda. Powered by a pulsejet engine, it was the Netherlands' first drone to be successfully developed, and saw limited use in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Developed in 1955,[1] the AT-21 was of conventional aircraft design,[2] with a high-mounted, constant-chord monoplane wing and a twin tail empennage. Power was provided by a SNECMA AS-11 Ecrevisse pulsejet, mounted in a fairing underneath the aircraft's fuselage; the construction of the airframe made extensive use of plastic in the nose and tail, with the center-section being of metal construction, and the wings and tail were made of foam-filled plastic with metal stabilizers and rudders.[1]
Launch was by JATO-type booster rockets from a zero-length launch ramp; a trolley for conventional takeoff from a runway was also available. Control was by radio commands from a remote guidance station, set up like an aircraft cockpit; if radio contact was lost, the parachute recovery system would automatically deploy. The parachutes could also be manually released at the end of a mission; the wing and tail would be separated by explosive bolts upon landing to simplify recovery and reduce the risk of damage during the process.[1] Endurance was up to one hour, and it was possible to fit a payload of cameras for aerial reconnaissance duties.[3]
Operational history
The first flight of the AT-21 took place in late 1955.[1] The first Dutch drone to successfully complete development,[3] it entered service with the Royal Dutch Navy.[4] Production of the AT-21 continued through 1958.[5]