Skidboard for Cruise Missile Air Drop

A skidboard for air drop of a cruise missile or bomb from a cargo aircraft, the skidboard comprising:

• an elongated platform extending from a first end to a second end in a flight direction;
• a crushable member overlying and fixed to the elongated platform;
• two lateral restraints extending upwardly from the elongated platform and spaced from each other in a cross direction which is perpendicular to the flight direction, the lateral restraints positioned to restrain lateral displacement of a missile when disposed on the crushable member;
• a nose ballast fixed to the first end of the elongated platform such that the center of gravity of the skidboard is closer to the first end than to the second end;
• a spring opening in the crushable member located between a midpoint of the elongated platform and the first end;
• and
• a spring disposed within the spring opening to apply an upward force when a missile is overlying the crushable member, such that when a cruise missile or bomb supported on the skidboard is launched from an aircraft the spring acts to separate the skidboard from the missile permitting the skidboard to fall away from the cruise missile or bomb.