US ''Wagtail'' Missile

By Crusader1307

The ''Wagtail' Missile was developed by The Minneapolis-Honeywell Company, as an auxiliary Rocket System for US Bombers in the 1950s and early 1960s. The ''Wagtail'' was a Air to Surface Weapon, that was tested successfully. Weighing 1,500-pounds, The ''Wagtail'' prototype was 6-feet long with a 12-inch diameter. A Solid Fueled propellant, The ''Wagtail'' could produce 9,900-IBF of Thrust and achieve 800-mph. The Rocket (air fired) could achieve a 1.5-mile range. Envisioned as a Short Ranged, Solid Fueled Rocket. The ''Wagtail'' was also designed to support a Low-Yield Nuclear Warhead. Other advancements were to include ground following Radar (''Nape of Earth'' Targeting). An advanced booster System was also designed to ''push'' The Warhead ''away'' from the blast generated by Rocket separation. While a ''Rear Firing'' Model was sought more, a series of miscalculations in later Testing showed flaws with The ''Wagtail'' (in particular Warhead protection when jettisoned), - this failure caused The Program to be canceled before actual Aircraft Testing could begin.