Although the Model 18 first rolled off the line in 1937 it took the Navy some 3 years to realize this was a good design & could be useful to the emerging Na-val Air Arm.They still didn?t really believe in air power?however this opinion would change on the 7th December 1941 when the Japanese Reinforced a point already made by Germany in their Blitzkreig attacks of 1939.The first Navy 18 was somewhat of an oddball?not the usual civilian model utilized in a military role with minimal modifications but a highly modified aircraft for what was at the time an ill conceived experiment?the role of Drone Director.After testing and evaluating the 18S prototype they arranged for ship 222 to be modified on the production line with a streamlined ?cupola? over the forward cabin & cockpit. This modification radically altered the profile of the once clean lines of the 18 for the specialized service?the Copilot seat was raised to improve the vision for the drone pilot.The concept seemed to work satisfactorily and an order was placed for 5 air-craft designated JRB-1. This was fol-lowed by an order for a further 6 in January 1941.Drones in the early days of aviation were not what they are today?only rudimentary TV & Radio guidance & certainly no GPS.The first base for the new type was NAS AnacostiaThe Navy method of aircraft designation is almost mindbogglingly complex and almost defies logic.
JR = Utility Transport
B = Beech
1 = the first variant
JRB-1?s were assigned to 3 Utility Squadrons. It was these squadrons which were directly involved with the drone program.VJ-4 (VJ = Utility Squadron) based at NAF Philadelphia, VJ-3 at NAS San Diego & VJ-5 at Cape May. They had 2, 4, & 5 aircraft respectively.VJ-3 was detached to Naval Air Station Puuene Hawaii on the 7th December 1941 but was not involved in the devastating attack.

The drone program was known as PROJECT FOX -the idea was to direct torpedo launching drones to within effective range of a target vessel.A JRB-1 launched the very first Air to Surface guided missile attack on the 9th April 1942 when the control JRB-1 guided a TG-2 Torpedo Assault Drone against the USS Aaron Ward.
Eleven JRB-1's were built.
LINK TO DRONE - http://axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?347