Manufacturer catalog

Maxson Electronics

Maxson Electronics was the Cold War electronics and missile-production successor to W.L. Maxson Corporation, a U.S. defense contractor with plants in Great River, New York, and Old Forge, Pennsylvania. Public museum and reference sources connect the company most clearly to subcontract production of the Martin AGM-12 Bullpup air-to-surface missile family and to second-source production of the Beech-developed AQM-37A supersonic target missile.

2 weapons

The company grew out of W.L. Maxson Corporation, whose wartime work included optical, ordnance, and electronics-related military contracts. After World War II the company continued outside New York City, opened an Old Forge plant in 1951, refocused on electronic devices, and adopted the Maxson Electronics name in the 1960s. Great River became the headquarters when New York City operations moved there in 1963.

Maxson's public weapon-production record is concentrated in guided missiles and target systems. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force says the AGM-12C Bullpup B was built mostly by Maxson Electronics under subcontract for Martin Marietta, while the Cradle of Aviation Museum describes Maxson as a second supplier that eventually assumed Bullpup production. The same museum identifies Maxson Electronics of Great River as the second supplier for the AQM-37A target missile.

Air-to-surface missile productionSupersonic target missilesMilitary electronics and guidance-related manufacturing

Notable Systems

AGM-12 Bullpup, Air-to-surface guided missile, Munitions

AGM-12 Bullpup

Air-to-surface guided missile

A U.S. air-to-surface guided missile family developed by Martin; Maxson Electronics is sourced as a major subcontract producer, including most AGM-12C Bullpup B missiles.

Sources: Martin Marietta AGM-12C Bullpup B | National Museum of the United States Air Force, Maxson AGM-12C Bullpup | Cradle of Aviation Museum, Martin AGM-12 Bullpup | Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles
AQM-37A target missile, Air-launched supersonic target missile, Munitions

AQM-37A target missile

Air-launched supersonic target missile

A supersonic target missile originally developed by Beech Aircraft; museum sources identify Maxson Electronics of Great River as a second supplier.

Sources: Maxson AQM-37A Target Missile | Cradle of Aviation Museum, Raytheon AQM-37 | Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, End of an Era: Navy conducts final AQM-37 target launch | NAVAIR

Manufacturer History

  1. W.L. Maxson Corporation founded

    W.L. Maxson Corporation began in New York and later became the corporate base from which Maxson Electronics emerged.

    Sources: W.L. Maxson Corporation in World War Two

  2. Old Forge plant opens

    The company opened a plant in Old Forge, Pennsylvania, which later handled Bullpup missile production work.

    Sources: W.L. Maxson Corporation in World War Two

  3. Great River becomes headquarters

    New York City operations moved to the Great River, New York, facility, making it the company's headquarters.

    Sources: W.L. Maxson Corporation in World War Two

  4. Bullpup production ends and Old Forge closes

    After Bullpup production ended, the Old Forge plant closed and the company changed names during the Riker-Maxson period.

    Sources: W.L. Maxson Corporation in World War Two, Martin Marietta AGM-12C Bullpup B | National Museum of the United States Air Force

  5. AQM-37A Great River example documented

    The Cradle of Aviation Museum identifies a Maxson AQM-37A target missile from Great River, documenting the company's second-source target-missile role.

    Sources: Maxson AQM-37A Target Missile | Cradle of Aviation Museum

Predecessors
W.L. Maxson Corporation
Successors
Riker-Maxson CorporationUnimax Switch Corporation
Website links
Maxson Corporation historyAGM-12C Bullpup B fact sheetMaxson AGM-12C Bullpup exhibitMaxson AQM-37A Target Missile exhibit

Maxson Electronics was a defunct U.S. defense manufacturer, and surviving public sources are concentrated in museum exhibit notes, missile-reference summaries, and company-history compilations rather than current corporate filings.

Manufacturer Sources

Produced weapons

Category

Munitions

Standalone missiles, bombs, rockets, torpedoes, and guided or unguided explosive payloads.

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AQM-37A target missile, Air-launched supersonic target missile, MunitionsAQM-37A target missileAir-launched supersonic target missileBuilt in: United StatesThe AQM-37A was a U.S. expendable supersonic target missile developed by Beech Aircraft and later supplied by Maxson Electronics for missile-test and fleet-training work. Air-launched by aircraft such as the A-4, A-6, F-4, and later F-16, it used liquid-rocket propulsion, programmed profiles, radar augmentation, and destruct equipment to represent high-speed aircraft, anti-ship missile, and ballistic-threat targets.