Float-equipped Queen Bees could be catapulted from cruisers, flown against the fleet's anti-aircraft guns, landed on the water, and recovered. De Havilland and Scottish Aviation built 470 aircraft, with about 300 already in service when war began in 1939, so the system offered repeatable training rather than a one-off experiment. Most modifications were internal, allowing the aircraft to retain the familiar outward form of a Tiger Moth. Freed from a tow sleeve and an onboard pilot, the target could reproduce much more demanding maneuvers while removing an aircrew from the line of fire.
Notable Point · 8:54-10:57
Recoverable Queen Bees gave fleets realistic moving targets
Catapult-launched float aircraft could be recovered after exercises, while hundreds in service offered repeatable live-fire practice without aircrew risk.