While the German Ruhrstahl X-4 has been mentioned here from time to time nothing has really been said about the other AAM developed to some degree during WW 2: The Hughs JB-3 Tiamat. The later was definitely a much better concept and design than the X-4. Yet, there is little written on it. The X-4 was a relatively small wire guided missile. It had a top speed of about .9 mach (700 mph) and a range of about 3.5 miles (5.5 km). The pilot of the launching plane would have to 'fly' it using a joystick placed on his insturment panel. This meant he had to keep the missile in sight, the target in sight, and fly his own plane simultaneously while using this missile. The JB-3 was also fairly small. It too had a top speed of about .9 mach but its range was greater at about 9 miles. Guidance was provided by semi-active beam riding. That is, the firing aircraft would lock its radar on the target and the missile would fly up the radar beam to the target. While beam riding was a far better and more practical means of guidance than a joy stick and wire feed like the X-4, it was only practical from post war testing against non-maneuvering aircraft targets. Both missiles featured proximity fuses. The US version used a standard VT type fuze that worked on the same principle as ones in shells and other weapons. The German one worked on acoustic means. How practical that would have been was never determined but, it too was likely impractical leaving the X-4 as an impact weapon. Both missiles underwent some wartime testing. The X-4 was test fired from Ju 88 launch platforms on a number of occasions. Several Fw 190 were fitted with the firing system but there is no evidence any were used operationally. The JB-3 was test fired from ground platforms on a number of occasions using a booster rocket to get it aloft. It was also fired from an A-26 on several occasions. It is not known if any were actually fired using the guidance system in full against a airborne target like a drone however.
