Nike Hercules

[Bone Daddy]

Saw this one when I was picking up a part for my refrigerator.

I have more pix if anyone is interested.

[WillMarchant]

Who needs a refrigerator when you could have THAT as a lawn ornament? It would look great at the end of the driveway!

[GregGleason]

I'm cross-posting John Boren's NH build found on YORF for those interested.

I think his craftsmanship is amazing.

http://www.oldrocketforum.com/showthread.php?t=7179

Greg

[Bone Daddy]

I grew up with a Nike Base within biking distance as a kid. I had friends whose fathers worked on the base. We would sneak up to the fence and take pictures of the missiles. It was there ostensibly to protect New York.

It's a housing development now.

There must be thousands of these things lying around someplace, although most were probably stripped and sold for scrap? I'd love one for my backyard, although it would have displayed at an angle so it's not taller than my fence (HOA rules). Of course who would lodge a complaint if they saw a missile in my backyard since everyone would be in easy striking distance? That would kill 2 birds with one stone: no more violation/no more annoying neighbor.

(Please note this is satire and should not be misconstrued in anyway that I would ever fire a live missile at a neighbor that annoyed me.)

[sandman]

I grew up with a Nike Base within biking distance as a kid. I had friends whose fathers worked on the base. We would sneak up to the fence and take pictures of the missiles. It was there ostensibly to protect New York.

It's a housing development now.

There must be thousands of these things lying around someplace, although most were probably stripped and sold for scrap? I'd love one for my backyard, although it would have displayed at an angle so it's not taller than my fence (HOA rules). Of course who would lodge a complaint if they saw a missile in my backyard since everyone would be in easy striking distance? That would kill 2 birds with one stone: no more violation/no more annoying neighbor.

(Please note this is satire and should not be misconstrued in anyway that I would ever fire a live missile at a neighbor that annoyed me.)

Actually they weren't scrapped.

NASA got most of them.

Nike Smoke
Nike Cajun
Nike whatever, etc, etc...

waste not want not!

[judo]

Did you get a picture of the data plate?

[Pem Tech]

Saw this one when I was picking up a part for my refrigerator.

I have more pix if anyone is interested.

Of course we are interested...
Post'em already!

[Bone Daddy]

Didn't see anything that looked like a data plate. There was a number at the top of the booster. This thing looks like it was painted with house paint and a brush after a July 4th picnic. Where would the data plate be?

In no particular order.

[Bone Daddy]

Some more.

If anyone has a picture they want let me know and I'll go and snap it. A sunny day would yield better pix also.

[judo]

Where would the data plate be?

I see what looks like a plate on the missile platform. Red fins on the right, white fins on the left, look down.

[Bone Daddy]

The brass plate in the concrete has a dedication with no info about the missile. Is that the plate you mean?

[judo]

Yeah, that would be it. Dang, it. I was hoping for more amplifying information.

[powderburner]

Great find, Bone Daddy!

I can't count how many times I have driven right past that exit and never gone up or down the street.

Can you say if the missile has tons of paint on it, or if it (somehow) looks like it's in pretty good condition?

[Bone Daddy]

Hey Powder

Enough paint that it probably wouldn't even get off the ground if they could fire it up. It's a strange little part of town. Looks rough, but it's probably just old. The whole place looks like it could use a new coat of paint. I just went down to 3737 to pick up a relay for my fridge. The VFW is not too far off the highway.

BD

[f16dude]

Actually they weren't scrapped.

NASA got most of them.

Nike Smoke
Nike Cajun
Nike whatever, etc, etc...

waste not want not!

These were all made from Nike-Ajax boosters. These became available around 1960, when they were replaced by the Herc. I have never seen a sounding rocket based on a Herc. It would have been a really cool one though.

There are probably thousands of Herc and Ajax boosters still at McGregor Range. These are buried in the sand up to there fins. I wish I had gone out to the booster drop area, and taken some pictures while I was there.

[sandman]

These were all made from Nike-Ajax boosters. These became available around 1960, when they were replaced by the Herc. I have never seen a sounding rocket based on a Herc. It would have been a really cool one though.

There are probably thousands of Herc and Ajax boosters still at McGregor Range. These are buried in the sand up to there fins. I wish I had gone out to the booster drop area, and taken some pictures while I was there.

A Nike Hercules uses 4 Nike Ajax boosters!

[f16dude]

A Nike Hercules uses 4 Nike Ajax boosters!

Yes I know that. NASA had a considerable inventory of Ajax boosters. When the Herc came out, in the early 60's, there were about 250 Ajax batteries in CONUS alone, not counting the batteries in Germany, Korea, Okinawa and Alaska. Each battery would have at least 15 to 20 missiles. Most of these were probably transferred to NASA.
The Army kept some for officer training. The unit I was in at McGregor (B Btry 4th Bn 62nd ADA) was attached to the Air Defense School. Each class of officers launched an old Ajax, as part of their training. Our battalion provided the facilities for this exercise. When I left, in 1973, we were the only unit in the Army with a supply of Ajax. We had 4 left.
The Herc could also be used in a surface to surface role. This caused us to be classified as an intermediate range ballistic missile. When President Reagen signed the START treaty, all existing Hercs had to be destroyed.

Oh by the way, I'm starting to build your 18mm kit. I'm debating on whether to stage it or not. Everything I've seen so far looks first rate. You did a really good job. Before I finish it, I may go down to the VFW and look at that Herc. Who knows I might even join.

[sandman]

Yes I know that. NASA had a considerable inventory of Ajax boosters. When the Herc came out, in the early 60's, there were about 250 Ajax batteries in CONUS alone, not counting the batteries in Germany, Korea, Okinawa and Alaska. Each battery would have at least 15 to 20 missiles. Most of these were probably transferred to NASA.
The Army kept some for officer training. The unit I was in at McGregor (B Btry 4th Bn 62nd ADA) was attached to the Air Defense School. Each class of officers launched an old Ajax, as part of their training. Our battalion provided the facilities for this exercise. When I left, in 1973, we were the only unit in the Army with a supply of Ajax. We had 4 left.
The Herc could also be used in a surface to surface role. This caused us to be classified as an intermediate range ballistic missile. When President Reagen signed the START treaty, all existing Hercs had to be destroyed.

Oh by the way, I'm starting to build your 18mm kit. I'm debating on whether to stage it or not. Everything I've seen so far looks first rate. You did a really good job. Before I finish it, I may go down to the VFW and look at that Herc. Who knows I might even join.

There is a VFW post not too far from me and they painted their Nike Herc red, white and blue but a bit different.

Theirs is in dire need of a repaint!

[Meatball 1]

I have never seen a sounding rocket based on a Herc.

That is partially correct. You may have never seen a cluster of four M5E1 or M88 motors used in a sounding rocket (the assembled Herc booster), but the same motors as were used in the Nike Hercules booster were used in sounding rocket flights, as far as my research tells me. The only visual difference is in the number and arrangement of threaded holes in the forward flange of the motor (Nike-herc motors have several more than the basic Ajax M5).