The Republic-Ford JB-2 "Loon" was a critical World War II American reverse-engineered copy of the German V-1 flying bomb, developed rapidly as a versatile, expendable, and pilotless weapon system. Although the JB-2 saw no combat, it proved to be a foundational testbed for postwar missile programs, laying the groundwork for modern U.S. cruise missiles. Read the full document at Indiana University ScholarWorks . JB-2: AMERICA'S FIRST CRUISE MISSILE