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

MIM-3 Nike-Ajax/XV-6A Kestrel

— Air Power Park —

MIM Nike Ajax/XV-6A Kestrel Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

1. MIM Nike Ajax/XV-6A Kestrel Marker

Inscription.

MIM-3 Nike-Ajax/XV-6A Kestrel. . , MIM-3 Nike-Ajax , Upper Stage . Army . Surface -to-Air Missile (SAM), Beginning in the early 1950s Cold War era, concerns about Soviet nuclear-armed bombers created the need for basing surface-to-air missiles near U.S. military installations. Built for the U.S. Army by Western Electric and initially deployed in 1953, the Nike-Ajax missile was a vital part of this type of localized defensive perimeter which had been installed around the country. There were several Nike sites on the Peninsula., There are two Nike-Ajax liquid-fueled, upper stage rockets on display here in the park, flanking the entrance. With a range of thirty miles, these missiles could carry either a nuclear or conventional warhead., (captions) , Nike-Ajax missile deployed near Boston, Massachusetts, 8/25/1969. NARA, Four Nike-Ajax missiles on launchers with the 71st Guided Missile Battalion, Lorton, Virginia, 9/15/1955. NARA, XV-6A Kestrel , No. 64-18266 . NASA . V/STOL Research, The XV-6A Kestrel (NASA aircraft No. 520) was used extensively by NASA Langley Research Center for testing and evaluation of vertical/short take-off and landing (V/STOL) flight. One of nine built, all were pre-production aircraft used for development, eventually leading to the Harrier "jump-jet" used by the United States Marine Corps, and the militaries of United Kingdom, India, Italy, Thailand, and Spain., The design of Project 1127 was started in 1957 as a collaboration between Hawker Aviation and Bristol Siddeley Engines (later Hawker Siddeley Aviation). The Pegasus engine provided a new solution to the problem of vertical takeoff and landing. The four rotating nozzles provide downward thrust for vertical takeoff and rotate backward for normal flight. The nozzles can also rotate to any angle for short takeoff or in-flight maneuvering., (captions) , NASA XV-6A Kestrel, aircraft number 521, in hovering flight at NASA Langley Research Center, 11/20/1968. NASA, NASA XV-6A Kestrel, aircraft number 520, outside the hangar at NASA Langley Research Center, 8/1/1966. NASA

MIM-3 Nike-Ajax
Upper Stage • Army • Surface -to-Air Missile (SAM)

Beginning in the early 1950s Cold War era, concerns about Soviet nuclear-armed bombers created the need for basing surface-to-air missiles near U.S. military installations. Built for the U.S. Army by Western Electric and initially deployed in 1953, the Nike-Ajax missile was a vital part of this type of localized defensive perimeter which had been installed around the country. There were several Nike sites on the Peninsula.

There are two Nike-Ajax liquid-fueled, upper stage rockets on display here in the park, flanking the entrance. With a range of thirty miles, these missiles could carry either a nuclear or conventional warhead.

(captions)
Nike-Ajax missile deployed near Boston, Massachusetts, 8/25/1969. NARA

Four Nike-Ajax missiles on launchers with the 71st Guided Missile Battalion, Lorton, Virginia, 9/15/1955. NARA

XV-6A Kestrel
No. 64-18266 • NASA • V/STOL Research

The XV-6A Kestrel (NASA aircraft No. 520) was used extensively by NASA Langley Research Center for testing and evaluation of vertical/short take-off and landing (V/STOL)

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flight. One of nine built, all were pre-production aircraft used for development, eventually leading to the Harrier "jump-jet" used by the United States Marine Corps, and the militaries of United Kingdom, India, Italy, Thailand, and Spain.

The design of Project 1127 was started in 1957 as a collaboration between Hawker Aviation and Bristol Siddeley Engines (later Hawker Siddeley Aviation). The Pegasus engine provided a new solution to the problem of vertical takeoff and landing. The four rotating nozzles provide downward thrust for vertical takeoff and rotate backward for normal flight. The nozzles can also rotate to any angle for short takeoff or in-flight maneuvering.

(captions)
NASA XV-6A Kestrel, aircraft number 521, in hovering flight at NASA Langley Research Center, 11/20/1968. NASA

NASA XV-6A Kestrel, aircraft number 520, outside the hangar at NASA Langley Research Center, 8/1/1966. NASA

Erected by Hampton Air Power Park and Museum. (Marker Number 006/005.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Military • Parks & Recreational Areas • War, Cold.

Location. 37° 2.614′ N,

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

2. MIM Nike Ajax/XV-6A Kestrel Marker

76° 21.986′ W. Marker is in Hampton, Virginia. It can be reached from West Mercury Boulevard (U.S. 258) 0.1 miles west of LaSalle Avenue, on the right when traveling east. The marker is located on the grounds of the Hampton Air Power Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 413 West Mercury Boulevard, Hampton VA 23666, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Peninsula

and in Coastal Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Tidewater.

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: NASA Space History (a few steps from this marker); NACA (a few steps from this marker); Langley Field (a few steps from this marker); F-86L Sabre/Mercury Test Capsule

MIM-3 Nike Ajax image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Wikipeda

3. MIM-3 Nike Ajax

(a few steps from this marker); A-7E Corsair II / T-33A T-Bird (within shouting distance of this marker); F-100D Super Saber • Mercury/Little Joe Booster (within shouting distance of this marker); RF-4C Phantom II / M-2 (MGM-5) Corporal (within shouting distance of this marker); A-2 Polaris (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hampton.

Other markers no longer nearby. A-7E Corsair II (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed); Mercury Test Capsule (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing); T-33A T-Bird (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).

Also see . . .
1. Nike Ajax MIM-3 MIM-3A. (Submitted on June 11, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
2. Hawker Siddeley XV-6A Kestrel. (Submitted on June 11, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
3. Hampton Air Power Park. (Submitted on June 11, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Hawker Siddeley XV-6A Kestrel image. Click for full size.

National Museum of the United States Air Force, June 11, 2024

4. Hawker Siddeley XV-6A Kestrel

Credits. This page was last revised on June 12, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 11, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 232 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 11, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.