RAE Larynx



The Royal Aircraft Establishment Larynx (from "Long Range Gun with Lynx engine") was an early British pilotless aircraft, to be used as a guided anti-ship weapon. Started in September 1925, it was an early cruise missile guided by an autopilot.

A small monoplane powered by a 200 hp Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IV engine, it had a top speed of 200 mph (320 km/h); faster than contemporary fighters.

It used autopilot principles developed by Professor Archibald Low and already used in the Ruston Proctor AT, a radio controlled biplane that was intended to be used against German Zeppelin bombers.

Project history

 * First test July 20, 1927. Launched from cordite-powered catapult fitted to the S class destroyer HMS Stronghold.  Crashed into Bristol Channel.
 * Second test September 1, 1927. Thought to have flown 100 miles (160 km) and then was lost.
 * Third test October 15, 1927. 112 mile (180 km) flight, hit five miles from target.
 * Two more launches in September and October 1928 from HMS Thanet, another S class destroyer.
 * Two additional launches May 1929. Launched from land, one overflew target and other was successful.