Beechcraft MQM-61 Cardinal
Beechcraft · United States · first flew 1955 · reconnaissance aircraft
The MQM-61 Cardinal is a small piston-powered aerial target drone developed by Beechcraft in the 1950s for use in anti-aircraft artillery and early missile system training.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 3.99 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Piston-powered aerial target drone from the 1950s
- Propeller-driven target for anti-aircraft artillery training
- Unmanned; crew 0 (unmanned)
Small conventional-layout target drone with a tractor propeller, straight mid-mounted wing, and conventional tail; closely resembles a scaled-down light aircraft.
Specifications
- The Beechcraft MQM-61 Cardinal has a length of 3.99 m (13 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 3.16 m (10 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 280 km/h (174 mph).
- Typical crew: 0 (unmanned).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Produced under a series of designations, the Cardinal family served US Army and Navy training programmes through the late 1950s and 1960s, providing a recoverable aerial target at modest cost. It was a typical product of the early drone era when simple piston-powered targets were adequate for training gunnery crews.
Variants
The MQM-61 was produced in several sub-variants with minor changes to propulsion and recovery systems.
Where you'll see it
Used by US Army and Navy training establishments; long retired and of historical interest only.
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