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The AAM-A-1 Firebird was an early American air-to-air missile, developed by the Ryan Aeronautical Company. The first air-to-air missile program developed for the United States Air Force, the Firebird was extensively tested in the late 1940s; although it proved successful in testing, it was soon obsolete due to the rapid advances in aircraft and missile technology at the time and did not enter production.

AAM-A-1 Firebird
Type	Air-to-air missile
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1947-1949
Used by	United States Air Force
Production history
Designed	1946-1947
Manufacturer	Ryan Aeronautical Company
Specifications
Mass	260 pounds (120 kg)
Length	7 feet 6 inches (2.29 m)
length	Booster, 1 foot 10 inches (0.56 m)
Diameter	8 inches (200 mm)
Warhead	High explosive
Warhead weight	90 pounds (41 kg)
Engine	Liquid-fuel rocket, 620 lbf (2.8 kN) Booster, solid-fuel rocket, 2,800 lbf (12 kN)
Wingspan	2 ft 8 in (0.81 m)
Operational range	8 miles (13 km)
Maximum speed	Mach 0.85
Guidance system	Midcourse: Radio command Terminal: Active radar homing
Launch platform	DB-26 Invader DF-82 Twin Mustang

Design and development

The AAM-A-1 project began in 1946 with the awarding of a study contract, under the designation MX-799, to the Ryan Aeronautical Company for the development of a subsonic air-to-air missile, which would be used by interceptor aircraft for the destruction of enemy bombers.[1] A contract for the development of the missile, designated AAM-A-1 Firebird, was awarded in 1947.[1]

The AAM-A-1 Firebird was a two-stage weapon, fitted with cruciform wings and tailfins. Control was by differential motion of the wings; the tailfins were fixed.[1] The missile's fuselage was constructed from aluminum alloy, while the nosecone and control fins were molded from plastic.[2] Firebird was fitted with a solid-fuel booster rocket providing initial thrust, before a liquid-fuel sustainer[N 1] rocket ignited for a 15-second powered flight time.[1]

Guidance was provided during midcourse flight by radio command, with an operator in the launching aircraft transmitting corrections to the missile. Terminal guidance used active radar homing, with a small radar set fitted in the nose of the missile,[3][4][N 2] with the missile's warhead being detonated by a proximity fuze, a backup impact fuze also being fitted.[1]

Operational history

Flight testing of the XAAM-A-1 prototype missiles began in October 1947,[1] launched from DB-26 Invader bomber and DF-82 Twin Mustang aircraft,[1] the latter of which could carry up to four missiles.[3][5] The first air-to-air missile to reach the flight-test stage outside of World War II Nazi Germany,[6] the Firebird proved to be reasonably successful in testing, with production being projected for the early 1950s;[7] however its command-guidance system limited it to clear-weather, daytime use only.[1]

Although radar beam riding guidance was planned to solve this,[6] the subsonic speed of the weapon was also considered to be insufficient to avoid obsolescence; accordingly, the AAM-A-1's production program was terminated late in 1949,[1] the Hughes Falcon being selected for development as the Air Force's standard intercept missile instead.[8] The test program was considered to be successful, despite the rejection by the USAF, as a considerable amount of knowledge was gained that benefited later programs.[9]

A Firebird missile is preserved at the Air Force Space & Missile Museum at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.[3]

See also

• Ruhrstahl X-4, the similar-appearance wire-guided air-to-air missile design of Nazi Germany (1943–45)

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

External links

• "Air-to-Air Missile for U.S. Planes, Popular Mechanics, February 1950

На других языках

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- [en] AAM-A-1 Firebird

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[ru] AAM-A-1 Firebird

Райан AAM-A-1 «Файрберд» (англ. Ryan AAM-A-1 Firebird — «Огненная птица») — американская управляемая ракета «воздух-воздух», разработанная ВВС США вскоре после окончания Второй мировой войны. Одна из первых в мире ракет класса «воздух-воздух», прошедших успешные испытания. Не была принята на вооружение из-за устаревания заложенных при разработке требований и ряда технических проблем.

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