3D Robotics

Who knew? Marilyn Monroe got her start making drones

From the latest AUVSI magazine, Unmanned Systems, comes a fascinating article about the early history of UAVs, then target drones. An excerpt (issue is not online): "Radioplane Co. opened up an assembly facility in Van Nuys to begin mass production. With World War II in full gear by 1945, Yank magazine, an Army weekly, was keen on covering women working on production lines for the effort. Army photographer David Conover asked his commanding officer Ronald Reagan (yes that one) for a lead, and he sent him down to his acting buddy Denny's facility. When he got there, he was taken with a young woman spraying plane parts with fire retardant and inspecting parachutes. Her name was Norma Jean Dougherty. While her husband was in the Merchant Marines, she worked 10-hour days for the Radioplane Munitions Factory." After photographing Norma Jean (above), Conover advised her to apply for a job at the Blue Book Modelling Agency. They were looking for girls with lighter hair, so she bleached hers, joined the agency and eventually changed her name to Marilyn Monroe. And the rest is history....
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Comments

  • Admin
    The original pic looks good enough to eat err I mean print straight as poster Gary :)) May be the last pic( with full front view should be photoshoped with the first one ;)
  • Moderator
    Best story of the year for RPV nerds!!!

    Who's going to make a poster for the office wall.
  • Hey I've seen that plane! They have one at the Nike missile site in San Fransisco. Cool info!

  • Admin
    Now that is A history , who would have thought Norma would have been found @radioplanes :))
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