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Ed Thelen's Nike Missile Web Site

Visiting again? New Items and Updates

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.

This web site salutes those people have risked or are risking life and limb supporting our war against terrorism.
How did YOU sleep last night? "Bravery is not the absence of fear, it's doing the right thing in spite of fear." Mobilized
Some thoughts on Politics.

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."
(Resulting story here)
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".

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. (I did the radar and missile engagement simulation in the Battery Control van.)

About submitting photos to this web site.

Two "action" pictures and a movie
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 Görigk

On-Line Movies

Missile 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

    Michael Keller wrote (Feb 2009):

    Here is a little ADA brochure for you. Just got it last week.
    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.

    Table of Contents
    Nike History,
    Nike Site Technical information,
    Nike Operational information,
    Nike Locations and People,
    Books & Manuals, On-Line documents,
    Places to visit, physical and on-line,
    People and Trip Reports,
    Stories, Questions,
    Other,
    Search Function,
    Bulletin Board,
    Items, Wanted or for Sale,
    General diagram of a Nike Hercules site.
    To update your e-mail address.

    Nike History

    Pre-Nike (Anti-Aircraft Guns)
    Nike Historical Information
    Nike Technical Background, Then & Now
    Nike A Remarkable YouTube Presentation, 10 minutes - recommended by Jon Little

    Nike Site Technical information

    Nike Site Overview
    Nike Integrated Fire Control (IFC) Area Overview
    Nike Launcher Area Overview

    Command and Control between Nike Batteries

    Introduction

    Nike Operational information

    Support for Nike Field Batteries (and museums)

    On-Line documents (recent additions usually near the top)

    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 Sept 5, 2008
    The rest of this web site is being enhanced frequently.
    This web site has over 50,000 "individual clients" per month. Site access statistics     here