2,500-pound GB-8 Air-to-Surface Missile

Over-all length

Span

Tail

Total weight, pounds

Warhead

Fuzing

Destructor

Fuze

Flare

T3, T4

General: This is a radio-controlled glide bomb, with flare observation, designed for use on large installations. The wing is covered with plywood and is bolted to the boom assembly. The two spar booms are of solid poplar and have hinged bands attached to their front ends which secure the bomb to the frame. The elevator is covered with metal to prevent damage by the flares.

The GB-8 should be launched with the parent on a bomb run when the target is at bombardier's angle of 75° - which is still outside normal A.A. range at altitudes from 10,000 to 15,000 feet. It will glide at speeds varying about 6 to 1 depending on the ele-vator setting.

Control: The guiding system consists of a radio control link from the plane to the mis-sile, servo connections to the control surfaces, gyro stabilization, and a flare panel of five Flares T3 and T4 (white and red) for observation.

Control surfaces are the ailerons on the wings, the elevator surface, and a single rud-der on the left vertical stabilizer.

Destructor: The Destructor M8 is mounted under and to the starboard of the control compartment is actuated, on impact, by the Fuze M121.

Suspension: The bomb is carried on the outside of the plane on a Shackle D7. A warm-up electrical cable pulls out on release.

Figure 389. GB-8 Missile