Warbird Information Exchange

Are there any ASM-N-2 Bat examples remaining or a facsimile of one ?

From Wikipedia, "The original NBS test airframe of the Bat was renovated in 2001 to resemble the real missile and is currently on display at the museum of the National Institute of Standards and Technology,[10] the successor to the earlier US National Bureau of Standards."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASM-N-2_Bat

Here is information on one

https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/restoration-the-bat-2925632/

And another at NASM

https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/missile-air-surface-bat

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Kevin McCartney

I always wondered how much these things cost in regard to the losses inflicted. You'd almost think sending out a few B-24s with filled bombracks would have accomplished the job was more efficiently.
Clearly, the military was thinking ahead, and I always use things like this as examples of how forward-thinking the War Dept was at the time.

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Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

Interestingly this thread underscores perhaps that the only surviving members of the “Bat” family are ASM-N-2 versions. The postwar Version of the missile has a squared off triangular tail, and looks a slight bit different from the WWII “SWOD-9” however I am not certain of the designations!

The Bat ASN-M-2 survives in at least 5 places, most notably perhaps is the one probably saved by civilian visionary Ed Maloney, restored in yellow paint at Valle AZ, with several other rare missiles....this is the only privately owned example....

Also Pt Mugu NWC and China Lake NWC both have surviving examples.

Two other examples are on the east are at Udvar Hazy Center and the museum in Gaithersburg, MD.

While the cost of a radar guided bomb was high, the ability of a plane to turn away from the target before flying over it was a hugely positive step for air crews. Striking a target from standoff ranges with a self guiding bomb that enable the crew to not be subjected to AAA or fighters is a huge cost savings. Losing aircraft and crews became far too costly as both the technology and expertise to operate the technology became harder to achieve. In retrospect it seems perhaps the IJN was not the only navy to read “The Five Rings”