Missile, Air-to-Air, Gorgon II-A

National Air and Space Museum

Object Details

Manufacturer
Singer Manufacturing Company
Summary
This is the Gorgon II-A, claimed as the U.S.'s first liquid-fuel, rocket-powered guided missile. It was developed as an air-to-air weapon by the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) in World War II. With a range of 18 miles, the Gorgon II-A utilized a television guidance system to locate the target and was controlled by radio signals. Only 21 Gorgon II-A's were built and flight tested during 1945-1946. This is one of the few surviving examples.
The Gorgon was also one of America's first attempts to use television in guided missiles for target tracking although the TV transmissions were weak. The missile's rocket motor produced 350 pounds of thrust. The program was cancelled in 1946. This missile was donated to the Smithsonian in 1951 by the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics.
Alternate Name
Gorgon IIA Missile
Credit Line
Transferred from U.S. Navy
ca. 1943-1946
Inventory Number
A19510065000
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
CRAFT-Missiles & Rockets
Materials
Overall, made of laminated wood; fins, also wood, but moveable control surfaces aluminum; gyro, steel; carbon dioxide cylinder, steel; motor, mostly stainless steel; nuts on same, steel; blue pipe fittings on motor, anodized aluminum; nose, wood, but dome, plastic painted over in yellow to match body; tail cone, aluminum; straps, for holding missile when formerly suspended, steel and fabric; propellant tank, overall, stainless steel; blue fittings on propellant tank, aluminum; reddish valve on propellant tank, brass; internals also contain electrical wires with clear plastic insulation; copper strip running throughout most of internal wall lengths inside fuselage.
Dimensions
Overall: 1 ft. 2 1/2 in. long x 11 in. span, 480 lb. (36.83 x 27.94cm, 217.7kg)
Country of Origin
United States of America
See more items in
National Air and Space Museum Collection
Location
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
Exhibit Station
Rockets & Missiles
National Air and Space Museum
Record ID
nasm_A19510065000
Metadata Usage (text)
Not determined
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv9bf1ec47a-5bd0-467a-b498-ae8cae15cad5
Front view of a yellow missile with a Plexiglass dome on the nose.
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Front view of a yellow missile with a Plexiglass dome on the nose.
Yellow missile with Plexiglass covered nose, black bands and numerical designation near tail of missile.
Underside view of the yellow missile, four fins, two large and two small.
Angled underside view of the yellow missile, yellow pipelike structure near one of the large fins.