NEW: Added Saturday, July 18, 1998
1. K_mr_05.jpg Nike Hercules launch at the South Koran
Sea Range.
To my knowledge... :-) This is the last Hercules launched by the U. S. Army. The photograph is dated 1978.
Note the olive drab fins on the missile body.
Photo: David Hansman
Scanned By: M. Cantrell
2. Ah_nf_01.jpg Nike Hercules and Nike Ajax side by side.
the photograph is captioned Norfolk, Va. But I do not remember a Nike site at Norfolk. I think it was probably taken at Ft. Story, Va. Which is about 15 miles from NOB (Naval Operating Base) at Norfolk.
Photo dated July 07, 1959.
Note: The battalion unit marking on the vertical stabilizer of the Nike Ajax, and the white painted booster fins.
Photo: Stephen Maire
Scanned By: M. Cantrell
3. H_abm_01.jpg Modified Nike Hercules being used in the
early test stage of the ABM (Anti Ballistic Missile) test
program.
*** This is not a Nike Zeus ***.
The Hercules missile body is attached to a Zeus booster.
Photo: RSA
Photographic restoration work by: M. Cantrell
4. Zeus_01.jpg Nike Zeus launch at White Sands Missile Range, Nm.
Photo: RSA
2. H_mg_02.jpg This is a early photograph of a MIM-14/A at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The photo was taken in 1957.
3. H_mg_07a.jpg Another photo taken at McGregor Range. This time showing the MIM-14/B. The photo was taken in the Mid 60's.
4. H_mg_01.jpg Nike Hercules at White Sands. Note: the
different paint schemes on these MIM-14/b's at the same launch area.
Part of this was due to the many different army units that
trained at Ft. Bliss and launched their live missiles at White Sands McGregor
Range.
At one time McGregor had 15 different launch areas for the
Nike Ajax and the Hercules. You would not believe the Number of people
the army was running through the Guided Missile School at Ft. Bliss
in the 60's.
The photograph was taken in the early 60's.
5. H_fb_01.jpg MIM-14/A & MIM-3 on one of the missile crew training
flight lines, at the Guided Missile School at Ft. Bliss.
The photo was taken
in the early 60's.
6. H_fb_05.jpg MIM-14/B on one of the crew training lines at Ft. Bliss.
The photograph was taken in the Late 60's.
7. H_hwi_01.jpg Nike Hercules battery on the Island of Hawaii.
The photo was taken in the late 60's.
8. H_g_01b.jpg MIM-14/B missile crewmen finishing the daily inspections and raising the up status birds.
The photo was taken in West Germany in the early 70's.
9. H_crt_1.jpg MIM-14/C Nike Hercules and launcher at the NATO Guided Missile Launch Facility, on the Greek Island of Crete.
The photograph was taken in 1969.
10. H_g_02.jpg MIM-14/C missile crewmen.
The photo was taken in West Germany in the early 70's.
11. H_g_05.jpg MIM-14/C flight line crew performing a daily inspection prior to raising the missile to the firing position.
The photo was taken in West Germany in the early 70's.
12. La_crt~2.jpg A photo of the NATO missile range on the Island of Crete.
The photo was taken on the Hipar radar tower in 1969.
PHOTO CREDITS:
Photos 1-3: Redstone Arsenal
Photo # 4: M. Cantrell
Photos # 5-6: Redstone Arsenal
Photos # 7 & 8: Redstone Arsenal
Photo # 9: Richard Sera / scanned by: M. Cantrell
Photo # 10: Sam McClung
Photo # 11: Redstone Arsenal
Photo #12: Richard Sera / scanned by M. Cantrell
1. H_mg_18.jpg Nike Hercules launch at McGregor Range, mid 60's.
2. H_st_02.jpg Nike Hercules battery. Location unknown,
mid 60's.
Note: Notice the nose caps on these missiles, they carry nuclear warheads.
Tuesday, February 29, 2000 Unknown site identified:
I received this interesting bit of e-mail recently-
"Mr. Ball,
The unknown Nike missile site photo (H st o2.jpg) is LA-88 located on
Oat Mtn. in Chatsworth, Ca. I grew up at the base of the mountian and
know that place well (inside and out) and it really got me into model
rocketry as a kid. As a matter of fact I'm sending away for your
Nike-Hercules model plans as soon as I'm finished with this letter. It's
a great site, please keep up the good work.
Tony Moore"
3. 118th_01.jpg One of the photos that I restored for Ron Erkelens.
The photograph was taken at the Crete missile range. This was the
second to the last launch by the 118th, Royal Dutch Air Force Squadron
in 1987. I thought, I would include it for your Hercules paint schemes.
Note: The Hercules to the right is in the Dutch colors. :-)
Hb_01a.jpg Detail drawing of Nike-Hercules booster markings and letterings. Late 50's - Mid 60's
Hb_02a.jpg Part II detail drawing of Nike-Hercules booster markings and letterings. Late 60's - Mid 70's
Photos: 1 & 2 Redstone Arsenal
Restored By: M. Cantrell
Photo: 3 Ron Erkelens
Restored By: M. Cantrell
All photographs in this index originally in the public domain which have been modified from their original format and/or restored by Mike Cantrell are the copyright property of Mike Cantrell.
Many of these photographs in their original form are still in the public domain and available for downloading from the Redstone Arsenal Historical Site
Please note: On November 16, 2001 Redstone Arsenal contacted me about their offer to provide free CD's. They regret to announce they can no longer offer the free CD and will soon no longer be able to answer queries via e-mail. This has been brought about by tighter security restrictions imposed as a result of the September 11 tragedy.
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