Coliseum Central in Hampton, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Nike-Ajax

Lower/Upper Stage • Army • SAM

— Air Power Park Tour —

Nike-Ajax Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, May 28, 2017

1. Nike-Ajax Marker

Inscription.
Nike-Ajax is the first U.S. surface-to-air missile. The original Nike program was begun in 1945 and over 10,000 Nike-Ajax missiles serviced over 100 sites in 15 defense areas within the U.S. including the Hampton Roads area.

A two-stage missile, Nike-Ajax is accelerated to supersonic speed buy a Nike solid-fuel booster, which drops off, and the Ajax 2nd stage liquid-fuel rocket takes over. Guidance is by radar command. Nike-Ajax was replaced by the more capable Nike-Hercules in 1958.

Erected by Air Power Park. (Marker Number 015.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, Cold. A significant historical year for this entry is 1945.

Location. 37° 2.593′ N, 76° 21.94′ W. Marker is in Hampton, Virginia. It is in Coliseum Central. It can be reached from West Mercury Boulevard (U.S. 258) west of LaSalle Avenue (Virginia Route 167), on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 413 W Mercury Blvd, Hampton VA 23666, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Peninsula

and in Coastal

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Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in the Tidewater,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: F-105D Thunderchief / SM-78 Jupiter (a few steps from this marker); A-2 Polaris (a few steps from this marker); F-89 / J Scorpion / F-101F Voodoo (within shouting distance of this marker); RF-4C Phantom II / M-2 (MGM-5) Corporal (within shouting distance of this marker); F-100D Super Saber • Mercury/Little Joe Booster (within shouting distance of this marker); MIM-3 Nike-Ajax/XV-6A Kestrel (within shouting distance of this marker); NASA Space History (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); NACA (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hampton.

Other

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, May 28, 2017

2. Nike-Ajax Marker

markers no longer nearby. Ajax (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed); RF-4C Phantom II (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed); F-105D Thunderchief (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); M-2 Corporal (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); F-89J Scorpion (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); F-101F Voodoo (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed).

Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 31, 2017, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 462 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 31, 2017, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.