US Navy TDN-1 drone test from the decks of the training carrier USS Sable while steaming in reverse in Grand Traverse Bay, Michigan, United States, 10 Aug 1943. This particular test was unsuccessful. Photo 1 of 4. [Colorized by WW2DB]

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Caption     US Navy TDN-1 drone test from the decks of the training carrier USS Sable while steaming in reverse in Grand Traverse Bay, Michigan, United States, 10 Aug 1943. This particular test was unsuccessful. Photo 1 of 4. [Colorized by WW2DB] ww2dbase
Colorization Note   This photograph was originally a black and white photograph; the colorized version presented here was a derivative work by WW2DB. The colors used in this version were speculative, and could be significantly different from the real colors.

Processed using Adobe Photoshop Image Processor, with default neural filter, selecting "None" as the profile.

View the original black and white photograph at its own permanent page.
Photographer    Unknown
Source    ww2dbaseUnited States National Archives
Identification Code   80-G-387168
More on...   
TDN   Main article  Photos  
Sable   Main article  Photos  
Photo Size 1,166 x 930 pixels
Photos on Same Day 10 Aug 1943
Photos at Same Place Lake Michigan, United States
Added By C. Peter Chen
Colorized Date 24 Feb 2023
Licensing  Public Domain. According to the US National Archives, as of 21 Jul 2010:
The vast majority of the digital images in the Archival Research Catalog (ARC) are in the public domain. Therefore, no written permission is required to use them. We would appreciate your crediting the National Archives and Records Administration as the original source. For the few images that remain copyrighted, please read the instructions noted in the "Access Restrictions" field of each ARC record.... In general, all government records are in the public domain and may be freely used.... Additionally, according to the United States copyright law (United States Code, Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105), in part, "[c]opyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the United States Government".

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Commenter identity confirmed David Stubblebine says:
16 May 2017 08:22:37 PM

I have seen this photo many times but never really looked at it. The first thing that caught my eye was that the island seemed to be on the wrong side. At first I thought the image was reversed but that would make this a shot from the bow and it isn’t. The arresting cables in the foreground and the LSO net on the left clearly make this a shot from the stern and correctly oriented. But then why is the smoke from the stacks trailing off toward the bow and why is the TDN-1 facing aft? Faintly in the distance the slick from the ship’s wake can be seen curving off to the viewer’s left so that means this ship was steaming in reverse! The TDN-1’s engines are running up so it appears it is being readied for take-off. So, taken all together it appears the drone was set up for a launch over the stern. It is still unclear why.
2. W.R.Galbraith says:
24 Feb 2018 05:29:43 PM

They probably did it that way to keep the island behind the drone during the take-off run. It wouldn't be good to have a drone slam into the island because of a radio glitch! Another consideration; the aft flight deck is quite a bit wider than the forward deck.

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Modern Day Location
WW2-Era Place Name Lake Michigan, United States
Lat/Long 45.0648, -85.4860
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