The drones that we hear about in the news today, with uses ranging from military to fire-fighting to wildlife vaccine delivery, didn’t start out as offensive weapons of war.  The fascinating story of drones includes Ronald Reagan and Marilyn Monroe, and begins in 1934 with an English film star and World War I RAF pilot named Reginald Denny.  After the war Denny emigrated to Hollywood to continue his acting career, but he also loved radio-controlled model airplanes and he founded the Radioplane Company, which developed drones to train anti-aircraft gunners.  Denny won a U.S. Army contract and shipped fifteen thousand drones during World War II. 

Engines for drones were made by outboard manufacturers Mercury Kiekhaefer and McCulloch during World War II and the Korean War.  By 1952 Northrup Aviation had purchased Radioplane and drones were on the way to becoming reconnaissance aircraft, then weapons.  The successor company today is Northrup Grumman, who makes most of our modern drones. 

Outboard motor historian Larry Stevenson tells the entire intriguing tale in his talk “World War II, Radioplane, and Drone Aircraft” on Tuesday, July 18 at 7 p.m. at Boothbay Railway Village.  Admission is free, a suggested donation of $5 is appreciated.

After the talk, Stevenson will conduct a tour of the newly opened Stevenson Outboard Collection, focusing on the outboard motors discussed in the presentation.  Larry is a Navy and Coast Guard Auxiliary veteran and a retired UPS International Industrial Engineering Manager in the international operation.

This talk is hosted by Boothbay Railway Village, 586 Wiscasset Road, Boothbay, Maine.  Visit the website www.railwayvillage.org or call 207-633-4727 for more information.