US RTV-A3 NATIV Missile System

By Crusader1307

Conceived in part from captures World War II German Missile Technology, The NATIV was developed around 1948. Based on the Wasserfall (V2) which Germany had some success with, The NATIV was among the first generation Surface to air Missiles developed by The US. They were envisioned as highly mobile and easily placed defensive and offensive devices, which could be deployed both within The Country and abroad. Operation of the missile would have required no less that 5-men. The idea was to create hundred of ''mobile batteries'' of NATIV rockets. NATIV weighed 1,200-pounds and were 14-feet in length. The rocket itself was 18-inches in diameter. Stabilization wings on the lower quadrant of NATIV measured 4-feet. Liquid fueled, NATIV could achieve a range of 40-miles at over 2,000-feet per second (Mach-3). It's operational ceiling was ranged at 63,000-feet. Only (7) NATIV systems were produced. The flaw of NATIV was a poor guidance system which caused major course and travel issues. Of 20 purported tests, only (6) were deemed successful. NATIV was canceled in 1949.