We would like to thank our loyal fellow members of the Nike Historical Society for your continued support over the years.
We will be closing the Society, including the store, as of March 31, 2024.
We have acquired a large repository of Nike technical information.
The web site will continue to be available.
It has been our pleasure to keep the legacy of the Nike missile's contribution of the successful conclusion to the Cold War.
the Board of Directors
Nike Historical Society
NIKE B - HERCULES
1953 - Start of studies for Surface-to-Air defense against high
performance targets.
JAN 1955 - First firing - missile configuration included liquid fuel
sustainer motor used in initial 58 missiles.
1955 - Series of firings for aerodynamic control data and
1956 shakedown of first model of ground guidance system.
OCT 1956 - First system test against drone target.
MAR 1957 - First firing with solid propellant motor (Round #57).
APR 1957 - First intercept of drone target with R&D HERCULES system
(Round #62).
JUN 1957 - First delivery of production ground guidance system.
AUG 1957 - First demonstration of surface-to-surface capability.
APR 1958 - First delivery of production missiles. Start of full scale
training program at McGregor Range.
JUL 1958 - System demonstrations of weapon capabilities in Florida
(Operation Snodgrass) and WSMR (Project AMMO).
- First deployment at defense site.
NOV 1958 - First warhead kill of high performance target (Q5 at
MACH 3).
- First warhead kill of high altitude target (POGO HI at
100,000 ft.).
JUN 1959 - First firing from underground cell.
SEP 1959 - First warhead kill of low altitude target (QF 80 at 1000
ft.)
FEB 1960 - First demonstration of extreme range (200,000 yds.) surface-
to-air role.
MAR 1960 - First demonstration of extreme range (200,000 yds.) surface-
to-surface role.