Historical Essay © Andreas Parsch

Globe KD6G/MQM-40 Firefly

The KD6G was the last in a series of small low-cost target drones built by Globe in the immediate post-World War II era. The piston-engined KDG Snipe of 1946 was followed by the pulsejet-powered KD2G Firefly and KD5G, and the piston-engined KD3G Snipe and KD4G Quail.

The XKD6G-1 Firefly, which appeared in 1951, was based on the KD2G-2, but replaced the latter's PJ32 pulsejet with a McCullough O-100-1 piston engine. It was a ground-launched radio-controlled target of all-metal construction, which was recoverable by parachute. The XKD6G-2 was similar, but used the Kiekhaefer V-105-2 engine. The KD6G-1 and KD6G-2 production models were by far the most successful of Globe's targets, and were used throughout the 1950s for surface-to-air and air-to-air gunnery training.

The KD6G-2 remained in limited use until the early 1960s. In June 1963, it was redesignated as XQM-40A, but the final designation of the drone was apparently MQM-40A.

Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!

Data for KD6G-2 (XQM-40A):

[1] Norman J. Bowman: "The Handbook of Rockets and Guided Missiles", Perastadion Press, 1963
[2] "Technical Note #9-51: Model Designation of Naval Aircraft and Guided Missiles", Department of the Navy, 1951

Manufacturer: Globe.