1945: The production contract for the Republic-Ford JB-2 ended after 1,391 were delivered to the USAAF. Though production was halted in mid-September 1945 testing was continued at Eglin Field with JB-2s already constructed. The Republic-Ford JB-2, also known as the Thunderbug, KGW and LTV-N-2 Loon, was an American copy of the German V-1 flying bomb. With its Ford-produced PJ31 pulsejet powerplant, the JB-2 was one of the first attempts at a powered cruise missile for potential usage in America’s arsenal. (US Army Image)
