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QB47 Jet Drones
Used To Simulate
Enemy Attack
WASHINGTON, UP) — The Air
Force is converting two big B47
jet bombers into pilotles drone
aircraft. If they prove successful,
thev may become the first of a
number of “QB47” jet drones.
The unmanned six-engine Boe
ing jets will be used to:
1. Simulate Soviet jet bombers
in testing the vulnerability of key
^fense systems of the North
American continent such as the
Dewline — Distant Early Warn
ing radar line across northern
Canada — and the White Alice
radar system protecting Alaska.
2. Check the performance of
such antibomber missiles as the
Nike Hercules and the Bomarc,
using optical and electronic equip
ment. Results would be radioed
automatically to ground stations.
3. Jam ground radar and elec
tronic firing systems, and confuse
missiles and other weapons hom
ing in on the drone, by using it
to test defensive systems.
The first of the drones is to be
flight tested this spring and de
livered to the Air Research and
Development Command next
summer.
The first plane is reported al
ready to have completed pilotless
I landing and takeoff tests success
fully.
I Like smaller drone craft, the
Thor Missile Can Be Fired From
Portable Site On 15-Minute Notice
By RALPH DIGHTON
SANTA MONICA, Calif., UPl —
America is mass-producing one
of its most reliable missiles in a
form so simple that crews can
fire them in volleys on 15-minute
notice, even from mobile bases.
The missile is the 1,500-mile
Thor, a combat-ready weapon,
that also is a workhorse in space
research. It can carry a nuclear
warhead known as the “country
buster,” and is stockpiled at bases
in this country and abroad.
But because of its limited range,
the future of the Thor is uncer
tain. This picture emerged today
after the first press tour of Thor
production and testing facilities
here and in Sacramento.
Newsmen saw parts of more
than a dozen Thors on an assem
bly line at the Douglas Aircraft
plant here and 17 finished mis
siles in a storage area.
At Sacramento they saw a dem
onstration that a hangared Thor
can be made ready to launch by
trained crews 15 minutes after the
order to fire.
At the factory, officials showed
how the Thor and its launching
QB47’s will have a built-in capa
bility providing for near-misses,
so that missile strikes can be meas
ured at close quarters without
damage to or loss of the five
million dollar B47’s.
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equipment can be packaged for
airlift to any part of the world.
At the Sacramento site, they dem
onstrated how a squadron of
Thors can be hauled from a land
ing strip to a hastily rigged
launching site.
No permanent concrete emplace
ments are necessary — only a
metal ring on the ground for the
missile’s tail to rest on while it
is being fueled. The missile and
its erecting mechanism, its con
trol rooms, and electrical gener
ators, are all on wheels.
A Thor squadron has 15 mis
siles, all ready to be fired at
once, at the same target or at 15
different targets. In the field, each
missile requires only four men to
fuel and fire it.
Fifteen successes and 12 partial
successes out of 31 firings attest
the Thor’s reliability.
The missile is ready for use
now, Air Force Brig. Gen. Donald
Coupland told newsmen, but that
doesn’t mean it’s operational.
There are two other factors.
First, enough crews must be
trained to use them. American
and British crews are undergoing
training now at Vandenberg Air
Force Base, Calif.
Second, they must have a tar
get within reach of Thor'bases in
the United States. Thor bases in
Britain have not been announced
as operational.
Former Asst. Police Chief
Of Juneau Dies In Seattle
SEATTLE, W") — Solon Merritt
Dore, 54, formerly of Juneau, died
Tuesday en route to a hospital.
Dore was born in Bellingham
and came to Seattle from Juneau
over three years ago. He was as
sistant chief of police of Juneau
until ill health forced his retire
ment in 1946.
Survivors are his widow, Pearl
M.; a daughter in Seattle, a son
in Douglas, a sister in Douglas,
and three grandchildren.
Services will be held Saturday
at Columbia Funeral Home, and
burial will be at 'Lake View
Cemetery.
Nome-U-Wash
WASHERS & DRYERS
To Use Yourself — or
Well Do If For You!
— Phone Black 1 —
Nome Directory
Northwestern Alaska
Chamber of Commerce
Meets Every Monday Noon at
North Star Dining Room
Jerry Manning, President
ALASKA CHAPTER NO 1
Order of Eastern Star
Doris Wilke
Worthy Matron
Helen Dunbai
Secretary
Meets First and Third Mondays
ANVIL LODGE
No. 140
Norv.n rr* Lewt«» Sec
HERB JENKS, W.M.
Meets First and Third Thursday
of Each Month
NOME ROTARY CLUB
Jim Blanning
President
Bob Grant
Secretary
Wednesday Luncheor
Parent-Teachers Assn.
Meets last Tuesday of every
month at School.
ROSCOE WILKIE. President
MARY DIEDE. Secretary.
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