Also on this site are:
plus Radiation, Ionizing, Ford Model-T Auto, NORAD, ZEUS, Antonov AN 124, Good Ole Daize, Teletype Mod 28 Maintenance, Low-Frequency Radio Ranges (old radio navigation transmitter sites), Jeff Foxworthy comments on the Taliban, Don Knuth Pays Off (again??), Navy Seal Team 6, Solyndra-bankrupt, Tulare 2012 Antique Farm Equipment, Crazyfornia, Gyro Compass, Willits ROOTS Steam Engines, Amateur Seismology, Safer Human-Computer Interfaces

Ed Thelen's Nike Missile Web Site

Visiting again?

Friends, I've quit "social networking",
but there seems no way to resign from them.
This web site is blocked in China.

This site presents a great deal of Nike Hercules historical, technical and operational information and provides extensive links to Nike related books, documents, museums and to other Nike related web sites. This site also provides a photographic tour of Nike site SF-88 (being restored), location and status of Nike sites, and a List of Nike People, some on-line documents, a bulletin board, a search, a Photo Exchange, an FAQ, and a variety of other features. See Table of Contents.

Dec 17, 2012, Senator Daniel Inouye of the "Go For Broke" 442nd Infantry Regiment has said "Aloha" for the last time. I must be getting old - this makes me dreadfully sad. During WWII my sister corresponded with a young girl, one of the 110,000 people, mostly American citizens, interned in crappy camps and losing homes, businesses and educations because of east coast ignorance and fears. Hard to forgive F.D. Roosevelt, author of Executive Order 9006, for those injustices !!
This web site salutes those people have risked or are risking life and limb supporting our war against terrorism.
Occupy What ? ;-) ( 400 KBytes )
How did YOU sleep last night? "Bravery is not the absence of fear, it's doing the right thing in spite of fear." Mobilized
"Remember Me" by Lizzie Palmer, on YouTube
Some thoughts on Politics. Adventures With the Press
"Freedom is not free . . . but the U.S. Military will pay most of your share."

A friend reports that this web site is still unavailable in China.
It seems to me that Obama is trying to emulate the current Chinese model,
- wealthy backers, media control, and dependent masses.

The government that is backlogged 630,000 veteran's disability claims wants to take over my health care.
FederalNewsRadio.com
March 21, 2013 - VA officials still insist the 630000 disability claims waiting to be processed will be eliminated by 2015. But so far, numbers are headed in the ...

A new word ;-) Ineptocracy
We enjoyed Foxworthy's "You might be a Red-Neck if" :-)) and now we have ... Idiots :-((
"Figures don't lie, but liars can figure"
* The Department of Defense (DOD) has (November 2011) classified the 2009 Fort Hood massacre that claimed 13 Americans and wounded 29 more as "workplace violence." -
Using the same logic, the people who died in the Twin Towers on 9/11 were at work,
- and therefore casualties of "workplace violence."
As were the emergency folks who were killed responding (going to work) trying to save lives. ...
And our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are "at their workplace" - ...
What kind of people are we paying to work for us in Washington ????

If a Muslim suicide bombs the Pentagon, the terrorist is at work, as are the people (s)he kills. - OK??
- Just your everyday "workplace violence." - Blame "climate change" -

Since Eric Holder is apparently not an idiot, he is a liar when he says voter fraud is not a problem.
Voter fraud was a joke in Chicago when I was there in 1955-1956. And during the Kennedy-Nixon presidental election in 1960, one Chicago precinct with fewer than 140 registered voters, turned in more than 200 ( mostly Kennedy ) votes. A Chicago judge said there was no evidence of wrong doing - dropping the case. And there is no evidence that anything has improved.

"Fast and Furious" investigation sleeps. Maybe Eric Holder's investigation of his top aid will wait till after the 2016 elections. He can't even blame George Bush for this one - although Eric brings up George's name in congressional hearing (Feb 2, 20012, 13 months later). Ya know, its just a shame that people like this are in positions of public "trust".
In contrast to the Arrogant Eric, may I offer Bill Mauldin, for Willie&Joe

Politics is funny, if it doesn't apply to you - a video - October 4, 2012

Here is The Declaratation of Independence
Then came the "Articles of Confederation" which didn't work out -
Has what little you learned of the U.S. Constitution gotten foggy?
Here is the straight scoop. Constitution, Amendments 1-10 "Bill of Rights", Amendments 11-27
Which has worked, preventing a U.S. Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Castro, Hugo Chavez - so far -

Some things never go away - death, taxes, and raising the debt "limit".
This is a 1967 (44 year old) article about the urgent need to raise the "debt limit". From this paper - front page, all 12 MB

- General Electric is moving its X-Ray Division from Waukesha, Wis., to Beijing., WSJ, snopes
- "Bob Hope :-)))))
- With a little luck we might get 9-9-9 taxing. Herman Cain :-))

Midwestern tycoon Warren Buffett, pictured here enjoying a parfait, [note the plastic spoon] presented his quick and easy solution to America's debt problem today on CNBC: "I could end the deficit in five minutes. You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than three percent of GDP all sitting members of congress are ineligible for reelection."

Getting bored with that talking face on network news mouthing Afghan "news" abstracted by some anonymous script writer?
Here is an anonymous e-mail which sounds more knowledgeable than that talking face ;-))

Health "care"/payment bill time line, Health Care ??, Health Care Sales Tax , Charlie Reese's last column

U.S. closes a National Wildlife Refuge to Americans due to loss of control to Mexican smugglers of people and drugs. Obama suspends making the border fence. (Too dangerous for the construction workers??)
Poor Arizona - reduced to a Territory and portal for illegal Mexican border hoppers. The feds are sending "Election Observers" to Arizona - maybe to be like the Chicago machine.

My congressional district in Crazyfornia* sends this jackass to Washington term after term after ...
- Hey, Look, sometimes something good happens in elections. :-))

" China produced ... 290 million tonnes, 46% of world production ... in the first five months of 2011.
... Steel production in the USA was ... 35.6 million tonnes. ..." - about 1/8th as much.
Making steel takes lots of coal. "Cap and Trade" will make our steel cost even more. Great for nations exporting to us. Not so great for us.
No problem !! I buy Japanese cars. Japan buys steel from China. No difference, No Sweat !!

My goodness, all in one day - December 17, 2010
- Birther goes to military prison
- Krazyfornia's Cap-n-Trade

"Leadership" styles of various national leaders
Nancy Pelosi saying “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.” - (10 seconds)

. Hitler Stalin Mao Obama
Title FuehrerParty SecretaryComradeTeleprompter Slave
Political Party National Socialist CommunistCommunistDemocratic/SEIU
Body to control Reichstag Central Committee *&(^ :-| Senate & House of "Representatives"
Minutes per page member has to study legislation ? few ? few ? few less than 2 minutes (assuming no sleep)
72 hours x 60 min/hr = 4300
pages = 2300
- "Stimulus" Feb 17, 2009
- "Health" Mar 21, 2010
What happens if you vote the "wrong way" Disappear Disappear Disappear Disappear
No campaign money from party
When to vote Daylight Daylight Daylight Weekends, Midnight
- Just like the Teamsters Local when I was a member!
The most damning question about "Obama Care"

  1. More Americans work for the government than in manufacturing, farming, fishing, forestry, mining and utilities combined.Wall Street Journal
  2. We have out-sourced many manufacturing jobs.
    - My car was made in Japan. My GPS, camera, TV, laptop, and all other electric toys in China
    - Most of the new books I buy are printed made China ...
    - The Chinese are exporting Russian designed jet fighters ...
    - Sounds like at least 10% of U.S. workers will be on permanent unemployment.
  3. Now we are out-sourcing management of U.S. uranium mines, local copy
    "It will be processed in the U.S." - yeah - sure ;-))
  4. Our president says he was raised Muslum in Jakarta, Indonesia
  5. We should out-source the California and U.S. legislatures, like can they get any worse?
  6. Since we treat our military so shabily, we will soon have to out source that,
    - as the Romans did before their fall -
    - The Chinese may be all to happy to do that, for free ;-))
Since Obama chooses which U.S. laws he will enforce,
maybe I can choose which U.S. laws I will obey?
WebSite Allows Residents of Canada To Bid on Health Care Services Abroad, Here
and Obama wants the Government/TSA to take over our Health Care
My December 2010 Social Security form says the Labor Dept says consumer prices have not raised since 2008. (The housing and "investment bank" crash was in 2007.)
Can you suggest ANY consumer prices (other than electronic toys from China) that have not increased? I think our current government officials lie too much.

proposed Congressional Reform Act of 2010 ;-))

A Story from Jake - "Change"

There's an old sea story about a ship's Captain who inspected his sailors, and afterward told the first mate that his men smelled bad.
The Captain suggested perhaps it would help if the sailors would change underwear occasionally.
The first mate responded, "Aye, aye sir, I'll see to it immediately!"

The first mate went straight to the sailors berth deck and announced, "The Captain thinks you guys smell bad and wants you to change your underwear." He continued, "Pittman, you change with Jones, McCarthy, you change with Witkowski, and Brown, you change with Schultz.

THE MORAL OF THE STORY:

Someone may come along and promise "Change", but don't count on things smelling any better.

Hey - I went to a Tea Party in San Jose, Crazyfornia April 15, 2010
Bad News:
- - They didn't serve any tea :-((
Good News: - for us old duffers
- - More women than men - Maybe there is hope ;-))
Tea Party Sara Palin in Madison, Wisc. April 15, 2011 - what "The Media" "forgot" to tell us.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Colorful Pictures, Movies, Brochures
Nike History
Nike Site Technical information
Nike Operational information
Nike Locations and Nike People
Books & Manuals, On-Line documents
Places to visit, physical and on-line,
People and Trip Reports,
Nike related web sites
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Stories, Questions
Other & Thanking Veterans
Search Function
Bulletin Board
Items, Wanted or for Sale
General diagram of a Nike Hercules site.
To List yourself or update e-mail address

Introduction

Dr. Stephen E. Ambrose stated that the correct spelling is "hiSTORY", so this originally very techie web site now has many stories. :-)

Mike Stucka, a staff writer for the Taunton Daily Gazette, was looking for images for a Nike story and e-mailed
"This story is interesting, and everyone is so darned helpful."
( That whole web site has disappeared - I should have made a "local copy" ! )
I thought for a bit and replied:
"These were good days for lots of now older folks -
and we were quite proud of
- the learning experience - some of us even got a little more "mature" ;-))
- doing something useful - better than flipping hamburgers or selling shoes ?
"Most look back and smile, and like to share the warm feeling :-))"

This site has become a cooperative effort as more than 250 people have contributed text, stories, ideas, information, and corrections.

The Nike surface to air missile system was named after the winged goddess of victory in Greek mythology. Two versions of this system defended the U.S. and other places from hostile aircraft.

The 1st version, the Nike Ajax, was deployed in the U.S. from 1954 to the early 1960s. It had an effective range of 25 miles.

The 2nd version, the Nike Hercules, was developed which was faster, had a range of over 75 miles, and had nuclear capability. The Hercules was deployed starting in 1958. In 1963, there were 134 Nike Hercules and 77 Nike Ajax batteries defending the U. S. - as per "Rings of Supersonic Steel".

Both versions above are made light and transportable by wheeled vehicles, transportable in cargo planes for "easy" mobility. With practice and preparation, a site could be moved in a long, hard day. As many parts as practical are made of aluminum or magnesium, the standard power frequency is 400 Hertz (cycles per second) saving iron and weight in transformers and motors as in aircraft.

The Hercules is still in use (with an improved computer and a few other enhancements) by several countries today.

This web site does not present photos, histories, nor detailed status of most NIKE sites. I link to other web sites take up that interesting challenge.

Almost all Nike Hercules related information has been declassified - the only exceptions are some IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) information, some flight characteristics, and some nuclear warhead information. This site has a little information on the Nike Ajax, and no information on Nike Zeus (external link).

I installed and maintained Nike Ajax fire control equipment (radars & computer) at Chicago site C-41 during 1955-1957. Maybe "we" deterred "them". I have served as a volunteer helping restore an old Nike site (SF-88) near San Francisco for the National Park Service.

About submitting photos to this web site.

Colorful Pictures, Movies, Brochures

Two "action" pictures and three movies

Hercules Night Launch,
(17 K bytes)
[Herc night launch]
From previous army pictures at
http://www.redstone.army.mil/
history/archives/nike_017.jpg.

Hercules Day Launch,
(from NAMFI, 32 K bytes)
[Herc day NAMFI launch]
From Rolf Dieter G?rigk

On-Line Movies
Nike Ajax Intercept - 1 minute, Internet Archive
Nike Hercules Intercept - 1.5 min, Internet Archive
Annual Practice - 1.5 min, YouTube via ??

Nike Hercules night launch


The missile (with booster) was launched 0.4 seconds ago, is accelerating at 25 times the force of earth's gravity, has risen 60 feet, and it is now going 210 miles per hour.

Four seconds from now, the missile will be:

  • going 1,700 miles per hour straight up,
  • separated from the booster, (the black flaming thing with the white fins),
  • turning (diving) towards the intercept point with the target,
  • starting the sustainer rocket engine to reach 2,700 miles per hour. If the target is 90 miles approaching at mach 1.5, the missile will meet the target 60 miles away in 90 seconds.

    The Nike Hercules shown here defended major U.S. target areas against aircraft attack from 1958 to 1974. It had an effective range of over 75 miles and a speed of mach 3.6. South Korea has over 200 of these missiles, with associated radars and guidance systems, currently in service.

    Its predecessor, the smaller Nike Ajax, was in service from 1954 through about 1965. It had a range of 25 miles and a speed of mach 2.5.

    • ... ...
    Click here for expanded graphics scanned by Pete Wurzbach C/4/562 Alvarado, Texas

    A short easy introduction to the Nike Anti-Aircraft system - from Michael Keller - posted May 3, 2013

    2.3 MBytes     		Click on image to download the .pdf

    Cold War in South Florida, ... Study available free online - posted Mar 4, 2010

    3 MBytes     		Click on image to download the .pdf
    Good news. The Cold War Study of Nike Hercules in South Florida ($19.95 plus shipping) has been re-released in pdf format as a public domain document.

    The tours of HM-69 has been overwhelming at Everglades National Park for the second year. Tours will be conducted through the end of March.

    Charles D. Carter

    Michael Keller wrote (Feb 2009) & (Dec 2010) & (Aug 2011) & (Dec 2012)
    Cover of 2 MByte brochure Just found this nice piece on Ebay. Printing Date is 10-15-56. "The purpose of this booklet is to inform high-school graduates-and their parents-of the matchless opportunities that lie within the Army Antiaircraft Command." Well, most of the once-adressed kids will be retired by now, but maybe they remember this booklet. Its a 3 page folder, size 500mm x 100mm. (Yes I prefer metric) :) But look, on the frontcover: seems that track LIMA296 has slipped through!! :)) It has a beautiful painting inside, and a funny 70's scene on the backside.
    It contains the original Team Nike decal, and a small brochure. Both items came to me together with the MISSILE MASTER booklet. [600 KB]
    The diameter of the decal is 4,06 inch. (103 mm)
    with kind regards from germany,     		A recruiting brochure featuring the Nike Hercules, "Now making its appearance on-site."

    Nike History

    Nike in Overall Air Defense

    • 416L is the name of the North American air defense system. ( 28 page, 3.3 MByte .pdf document )
    • DEW Line Distant Early Warning Line - more
    • Pine Tree Line (with techie error about how radar cooks)
    • Some info on Texas Towers 1, 2, 3, , Picket Ships 1, 2, 3, AirForce, ...
    • SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment)

    Nike Site Technical information

    Command and Control between Nike Batteries

    Nike Operational information

    Support for Nike Field Batteries (and museums)

    On-Line documents ( Atempting to sort - somehow ) - Longer range radars another site
    - Documents w/out numbers
    - Documents w numbers

    Places to visit, physical and on-line

    People and Trip Reports

    Stories, Questions

    Other -

    Bulletin Board has been moved to here.

    About photo submission

    (added Jan 22. 2000)
    Tom Vaughn is posting photos of Nike People at Pictures of Nike people and Nike sites when there where still Nike missiles. :-))

    New policy: I am introducing a Photo Exchange so that those who wish to share can, and those who wish, can ask. I hope this works better than my previous "no photos" policy. You are still invited to look up web sites who specialize in a particular area, and offer there.

    Thank you

    Ed Thelen

    General diagram of a Nike Hercules site.

    Figure from FM 44-1-2 ADA Reference Handbook, 15 June 1984, as found on page 20 of "Rings of Supersonic Steel".

    If you have comments or suggestions, Send e-mail to Ed Thelen (ed@ed-thelen.org)
    Some     flattering pictures of Ed, a short bio.

    This page updated May 3, 2013
    The rest of this web site is being enhanced frequently.
    In 2005, this web site had over 50,000 "individual clients" per month. Site access statistics     here
    - - - - - - - - -
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