“Wurlitzer had the personnel and the know how. They had several patents on unique assembly processes. And when they were approached by the Navy to make the TDR, they were extremely enthusiastic about it. In the span of about six months they completely converted all their tooling to build them.” - Rogar Keys
In 1942, Wurlitzer signed a contract with the Department of Defense to halt musical instrument production and make the first ever drone, or guided missile, for the army. The Wurlitzer Company worked cooperatively with the Interstate Aircraft Company to build the drones. |
This contribution to World War II was so top secret that most of the employees did not even know the truth. They believed that they were making trainer or target planes. For the ones that were told the truth, there were top secret spies hired to hide at local bars to make sure employees would not tell company secrets.
The assault drone had a TV camera in the nose behind the glass shield. The operator would use a telephone dial to navigate the drone. This would make it capable for the drone to be pilotless. The drone would be controlled by a mother plane almost seven miles away. |
The drones were said to have some resemblance to the German Stuka Dive Bomber. During a test flight around DeKalb, the authorities would sometimes be called because observers thought they had sighted a German bomber.
These drones would be sent to remote islands in the South Pacific, Islands of Stirling and Green Islands, to attack large Japanese bases in Rabaul and Bougainville.
“We never got to see them produced or fly out of DeKalb airfield- we were in the South Pacific fighting the Japanese. But we did get to see what they could do when they joined us in the war.” - United States Navy Seal
In 1960, the public was finally informed that the Wurlitzer Company had taken part in the production of the TDR drones. During the two year span, the DeKab factory had created about 200 drones.
During World War II, Wurlitzer had needed space to build, store, and test the drones. The Defense Plant Corporation had purchased surrounding buildings and the land east of the factory to make an airfield and hanger. This airfield would later become the DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport.