GAF Turana
Appearance
Turana | |
---|---|
Role | Target Drone |
National origin | Australia |
Manufacturer | Government Aircraft Factories |
First flight | August 1971 |
Primary user | Royal Australian Navy |
Produced | late 1960s - 1979 |
Number built | 23 |
Developed from | Ikara (missile) |
TheGAF Turanawas atarget droneproduced by theAustralianGovernment Aircraft Factories(GAF). The name is believed to be from anAboriginal Australianword meaningrainbow.
The Turana target drone was designed and built in Australia as a development of theIkaraanti-submarine weapon system. It was a target drone with remote control that was launched from the Ikara launcher for use in naval anti-aircraft target practice.[1][2]
Design and development
[edit]The Turana had a composite metal/fibre glass structure and was powered by aMicroturbo Cougar 022Turbojet.[a][3]
The Turana was first flown from Woomera in August 1971.[3]The program was cancelled in 1979 as water ingress during recovery of the drone was causing failure of the electronics.[4]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^The engine was designed so that it can be reused for at least 10 flights even after being submerged in water for an hour before being recovered
References
[edit]- ^"GAF Turana Guided Missile".Museum Victoria.Retrieved15 April2019.
- ^"RAN GAF Turana".ADF-SERIALS.
- ^ab"Successful Turana First Flight".Flight International.19 August 1971. p. 305.
- ^"Tracer".Flight International.20 October 1979. p. 1267.
Further reading
[edit]- Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey; Morris, Ewan; Prior, Robin; Jean Bou (2008).The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History(Second ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.ISBN9780195517842.
- Taylor, John W.R., ed. (1980).Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1980–81.London: Jane's Publishing Co.ISBN0-7106-0705-9.
External links
[edit]- Turana target droneHistorical Aircraft Restoration Society(HARS)
- "Turana Nightmare Realised".On The Roger.1975. Archived fromthe originalon 12 February 2015.Retrieved12 February2015.