Designed by Dayton, Ohio, native and engineering genius Charles Kettering (who sat on the board of directors of the Dayton-Wright Co.), the Kettering Aerial Torpedo was the world's first guided missile and a precursor to today's cruise missiles. Nicknamed "Bug," the aerial torpedo was launched from a dolly running down a track pointed precisely in the direction of the target. With a fuselage made of wood laminate and papier-mâché, the Bug was guided to the target by a system of internal preset vacuum-pneumatic and electrical controls. After a preset length of time, an electrical circuit would close and shut down the engine. The wings would then be released, and the fuselage and warhead would fall on the target. Initial tests were successful, but World War I ended before the Bug could be used in combat. After the war, the Air Service conducted additional tests, but the lack of funds in the 1920s halted development. A reproduction of the Bug now hangs in the US Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
| Contractors: | Dayton-Wright Co. |
| Locations Built: | Dayton, Ohio |
| Number Built: (USAF) | Approx 50 (approx 50) |
| First Launch: | October 2, 1918 |
| First Flight Model: | Kettering Aerial Torpedo |
| First Flight Location: | Dayton, Ohio |
| First Flight Pilot: | Unconfirmed |
| Models/Variants: | Kettering Aerial Torpedo |
| Powerplant: | One DePalma V-4 of 40 hp |
| Wingspan: | 14 ft 111/2 in |
| Length: | 12 ft 6 in. |
| Height: | 4 ft 8 in. |
| Weight: | 530 lb gross |
| Warhead: | 180 lb high explosive |
| Cost: | Approx $400 |
| Max. Speed: | 120 mph |
| Range: | 75 mi. |
| Ceiling: | Approx 300 ft. |
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