What in the world is that?

I've been an aviation enthusiast for 30 years, so it's always a surprise to find an aircraft that I've never seen before. Well, at least an American aircraft; there are plenty of British, French, Soviet, etc. aircraft that I couldn't name if my life depended on it.

That's what happened to me this week when someone posted a photo of a Naval Aircraft Factory TDN-1, a so-called "assault drone," on the Warbird Information Exchange forum. It might be considered a predecessor of the Predator, Reaper, and other UAVs that have become prominent in recent years.

The TDN-1 is an intriguing aircraft. I found this video (no audio) of them testing in 1943, including great footage launching from the USS Sable.

Enjoy!