This book has a unique way of explaining the history of the boat, with. The missile resembled an f84 fighter aircraft, but without a cockpit, and test versions were equipped with landing gear so that they could be recovered and reused. The first submarine launch of regulus occurred in july 1953 from the deck of the uss tunny. The regulus cruise missile development began in 1947 and it was built by the chance vought aircraft company the unmanned turbojet powered regulus system was capable of delivering a thermonuclear warhead, either the 3000 pound 4050. Many individuals and organizations helped make this book possible. The nature of war at sea has changed through time as a direct consequence of innovations in technology, tactics and operational art, and naval organization. These regulus missiles were fitted with nuclear warheads. Also available from periscope film are a series of historical documentary and training films. Regulus phased out of production in january 1959 with delivery of the 514th missile. It features chapters dedicated to the test programs of each missiles, and chapters concerning each submarine, cruiser, and aircraft carrier that carried or launched the missile.
Marcus atilius regulus, flourished 3rd century bc, roman general and statesman whose career, greatly embellished by legend, was seen by the romans as a model of heroic endurance regulus served as consul in 267 and 256. When the missiles were deployed they were launched from a rail launcher, and equipped with a. But little transpired until the soontobeseparated aaf provided the impetus for the navy program. Triton was approved by the us navy in 1946 and a preliminary design was ready by 1950. The regulus cruise missile development began in 1947 and it was built by the chance vought aircraft company. However, the tomahawk itself isnt a oneofakind us weapon system when placed in the broader picture. Pilots flying beside it would land it via remote control on san nicolas island or edwards air force base. David stumpf previously wrote a book on the navys regulus cruise missile that is a pretty comprehensive history. What appears to be a douglas a4 skyhawk flies through the air with a bomb and drops the ordnance 09. Navy tests conducted with the german v1 missile at naval air station point mugu in california. The operations of the boat after it was converted to a regulus missile carrying boat and designated an ssg, indicating that it was carrying guided missiles. List your items fast and easy and manage your active items.
Designed to attack ground targets, it carried a nuclear warhead, flew at subsonic speeds up to an altitude of 9,144 meters 30,000 feet, and had a range of 800 kilometers 500 miles. On december 11, 1936, edward viii 18941972, king of the united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, and emperor of. Uss halibut was built as one of the first of the u. In the latter year during the first punic war, 264241 he and his colleague lucius manlius vulso defeated the carthaginian fleet off mount ecnomus, in. A followon design, regulus ii, was pursued briefly, striving for supersonic speed. But the navy successfully argued that regulus could perform the navy mission. A definitive history of the regulus i and regulus ii, david stumpfs book details the development of the missiles, the deployment of the regulus i and the use of regulus ii airframes as target drones. If you want the history of us cruise missiles in one book, this is the reference you need. History regulus missile development and submarine use. Americas first nuclear submarine missile by david k stumpf online at alibris. The regulus, which was closely akin to the matador having the same engine and roughly the same configuration, became operational in 1955 as a subsonic missile launched from both submarines and surface vessels, carrying a 3.
Keating, and commissioned on 29 april 1944, lieutenant. The graybackclass submarine was a class of two guided missilecarrying submarines of the united states navy. She was launched on 12 december 1943, sponsored by mrs. Introduction the concept of the cruise missile was conceived during the first world war. For more information on the regulus guided missile program, the book the regulus cruise missile.
These deterrent patrols represented the first ever in the history of the submarine navy. The bomb and americas missile age the johns hopkins. The uss growler is the sole surviving regulus submarine. Docked at the intrepid seaairspace museum in new york city, it hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and educates the public about submarines and the cold war.
The snark was deployed by the united states air forces strategic air command from 1958 through 1961. Spark originally published in the united states naval institutes naval history. The regulus missile submarines were a group of submarines operated by the united states navy us navy capable of carrying the regulus cruise missile. The reader emerges with an understanding of just why the united states icbm program. Cold war regulus missile submarines documentary youtube. They carried the regulus i and regulus ii nuclear cruise missiles, deployed 195764, that were phased out by polaris submarine launched ballistic missiles. We searched the national archives catalog and located records related to the history of pilotless aircraft and guided missiles, 1953 1958 in the records of the bureau of aeronautics record group 72 which includes information on the regulus missile.
The only missile submarine in the world on public display. I have read a lot of submarine history, but only a little of the era of the loon and regulus is to be found, as history mostly goes for the big story. In may 1947, the united states army us army awarded a contract for the development of a guided cruise missile, the mgm1 matador. On 15 july 1953, the uss tunny ss282 would become the first submarine to launch a regulus cruise missile. The war against carthage lasted many years, with sundry interruptions. Featuring newlydeclassified footage, this documentary tells the nearlyforgotten story of the regulus cruise missile, which was. In 1952, nas point mugu got a new tenant, air development squadron four vx4, which perfected the techniques for launching airtoair and airtosurface missiles. Its barrelshaped fuselage resembled that of numerous fighter. Oriole, lark, gorgon, regulus i, regulus ii, harpoon, and other missiles.
A turbojet engine powered the missile to its target after two boosters were jettisoned. I was really excited to finally get this book, having grown up in the early days of the cruise missiles, i. German researchers explored the use of pilotless aircraft. The regulus ii missile was a completely new design with improved guidance and. Air force, was sent overseas to france to prepare for the operational deployment of vast clouds of unmanned kettering bugs to be used against the german army. First regulus missile launched from a submarine 1953. The carthaginians made many promises to the romans, but broke them so often that punic faith that is, carthaginian faith came to mean the same as treachery or deceit.
Regulus missile historic context addition brief chronology of events 1933 germany begins study into use of pilotless aircraft, yielding two prototypes, the v1 and v2 missiles. Harmuth, who wrote a book about life on the regulus submarines, said it wasnt uncommon to go seven weeks without. The chancevought aircraft company won the contract for regulus with a bold proposal. After using bombequipped remotely controlled target drones to strike heavily defended targets in late 1944, the navys development of proper surfacetosurface missile. Longtime author bill yenne chronicles the history of us cruise missile development in the united states, starting with a discussion of early us cruise missiles including the kettering bug. Now he has turned his attention to the titan ii and done another great job. The launch signaled a new era in the history of the submarine, the u. Apr 07, 2016 here is a video donated to the museum demonstrating regulus missile testing. Navy history and the birth of a vital part of the nuclear triad a submarine capable of launching a nuclear missile. The unmanned turbojet powered regulus system was capable of delivering a thermonuclear warhead, either the 3000 pound 4050.
Regulus i following delivery of the 514th production model. Oriole, lark, gorgon, regulus i, regulus ii, harpoon, and other. This led to point mugu being designated on 1 october 1946 as naval air missile test center point mugu. An ssmn8 regulus i is launched from the forrestal 09. The presence of the regulus missile essentially a small remotecontrolled plane with a nuclear warhead in the fleet led to some interesting proposals. However, the navys preference for the new large, angledeck nuclear aircraft carriers and for ballistic missile submarines relegated sealaunched cruise missiles to relative obscurity. Missile of tomorrow regulus ii, big brother of the now operational. The regulus was the first strategic longrange nucleararmed guided missile deployed by the u. The us navy saw this as a threat to its role in the operation of guided missiles, and launched its own development program for a turbojet powered missile, which it called regulus.
The submarine was the first built from the ground up to carry the regulus ii missile, a large, turbojet. A fascinating history and analysis of the cruise missile weapons system which introduced the era of guided missiles, this book looks at the weapon that was eclipsed in the u. The illustrated encyclopedia of rockets and missiles, salamander books ltd, 1979 3 james n. Sep 30, 2014 a second generation supersonic vought ssmn9 regulus ii cruise missile with a range of 1,200 nautical miles 2,200 km and a speed of mach 2 was developed and successfully tested, but the program was canceled in favor of the ugm27 polaris nuclear ballistic missile. Uss halibut ssgn587, a unique nuclearpowered guided missile submarineturnedspecial operations platform, later redesignated as an attack submarine ssn587, was the second ship of the united states navy to be named after the halibut. In march 1954, the navy planned to have regulus ii operational by 1957 and triton operational in 1965. The ssmn8a regulus or the regulus i was a united states navydeveloped shipandsubmarinelaunched, nuclearcapable turbojetpowered second generation cruise missile, deployed from 1955 to 1964. After such a launch, the navy guided the regulus toward its target by two other submarines and, later, with the trounce system, one submarine. It represented an important step in weapons technology during the cold war. The ssmn9 regulus ii cruise missile is a supersonic guided missile armed with a nuclear warhead, intended for launching from surface ships and submarines of the u. The operations of the boat after it was converted to a regulusmissile. These subs would undertake the first missile deterrent patrols in the history. Now, for the first time, the regulus story can be told.
A regulus i cruise missile can be seen ready for launch onboard the uss growler at the intrepid seaairspace museum in new york city. Navy cruisers and five guided missile submarines ssgs uss tunny, uss halibut, uss grayback, uss barbero and uss growler. First nuclear sub ssn571, first nuclear sub with the albacore hull ssn585, and of course the first polaris missile sub ssbn598. The graybackclass submarine was a class of two guided missile carrying submarines of the united states navy. Features interviews with weapons designers and test pilots, submarine captains and crew members, and stunning footage. On 15 july 1953 the submarine uss tunny ssg282 left californias point hueneme naval station on a topsecret mission. Uss barbero ssssassg317 was a balaoclass submarine of the united states navy, named for a family of fishes commonly called surgeon fish barbero was laid by the electric boat company of groton, connecticut on 25 march 1943. Oct 18, 2019 the operations of the boat after it was converted to a regulusmissile carrying boat and designated an ssg, indicating that it was carrying guided missiles. His other major historical work is a book about the titan i and ii icbms. It was here that the u s navy in 1946 tested the loon surfacetosurface missile. There are plenty of technical details to accompany the sharp, clear photographs and illustrations. In addition to publishing, over the years it has been the us distributor for many us and uk publishers such as airtime, airlife publishing, crecy publications, flight recorder publications, midland. If you want the history of us cruise missiles in one book, this is the reference you.
Regulus i cruise missile national air and space museum. During the cold war years the submarine fleet made 41 strategic deterrent patrols armed with regulus, not ceasing operations until 14 july 1964. To minimize expenses, the 33foot regulus missile could be landed and reused. Vought began design of the supersonic winged missile. In september 1959, with the 1st patrol of grayback, an era of submarine history began that would go unrecognized for almost 40 years. The success of germanys v1 buzz bombs and the awesome power of the abomb suggested that developing a submarinelaunched, nucleararmed guided missile was an imperative. The bomb and americas missile age is an important contribution to scholarship, as it overturns an entrenched interpretation going back to the postsputnik controversy, one that emphasized the resistance of air force bomber generals to longrange missiles. They and uss halibut were the sole submarines designed specifically to carry regulus missiles, and the only. The regulus missile submarines were a group of submarines operated by the united states navy capable of carrying the regulus cruise missile. The next two decades would see point mugu testing and evaluating a number of missile systems. After using bombequipped remotely controlled target drones to strike heavily defended targets in late 1944, the navys development of proper surfacetosurface missile systems began in 1946. For more information on growler, grayback and the regulus guided missile program, the book regulus. In the 1950s, faced with the grim calculus of mutually assured destruction, the u.
Between 1959 and 1964, a total of five boats were used to undertake the first submarinebased nuclear deterrent patrols by the united states. The regulus cruise missile program was an innovative concept and an important part of our nations nuclear deterrent program. David stumpfs excellent book chronicles the development and deployment of the regulus i and the successor weapon, the neverdeployed supersonic regulus ii. Professionally converted for accurate flowingtext e book format reproduction, this unique book traces the development of the cruise missile by the u. Powered by ebay turbo lister the free listing tool. Navy, were deployed on aircraft carriers, cruisers and submarines during the 1950s. Commemorative cover for the 1959 regulus i missile mail flight. Navy began trying to develop a submarinebased nuclear deterrent to safeguard the usa. Regulus submarines were used for this task until 1964, when sufficient ballistic missile submarines carrying the polaris ballistic missile became available.
The goal was to produce a supersonic landattack nuclear cruise missile capable of being launched from the same platforms and equipment as the subsonic ssmn8 regulus i, which were surface combatants, submarines, and aircraft carriers via launch rails or catapults. A pair of rocket bottles lit off under the regulus, and the missile tore into the sky with a roar. Yennes books have been included in amazons 100 best books of the year. Regulus guided cruise missile regulus guided cruise missile. An exemplar of innovation in a military organization sperrys aerial torpedo, project aphrodite, gorgon missile, drones, regulus, harpoon, tomahawk by progressive management available from rakuten kobo. Cold war regulus missile submarines documentary stargate.
In october 1943, chance vought signed a study contract for a 300mile range pilotless missile that carried a 4,000pound warhead. Commissioned on 7 march 1958, grayback ssg 574 was the navys first submarine to carry the regulus ii seatosurface missile. Santos, thank you for posting your request on history hub. The guided missile cruiser uss boston moves out at sea 10. Detailed, yet with easytounderstand text, this book explains how and why this weapon was developed and is still being utilized in an impressive ongoing combat career. Specialty press was founded in the 1980s as an aviation book publisher. Americas first nuclear submarine missile by david k. Proposal characteristics able, baker, charlie and ftv1 ftv2 operation splash. The coverage of the early days was very slim with the photos on the most colorful of all, the snark, being almost non existent. The northrop sm62 snark was an earlymodel intercontinental range groundlaunched cruise missile that could carry a w39 thermonuclear warhead. Commemorative cover for the june 8, 1959 regulus i missile mail flight. Nevertheless in 1955, regulus became operational, eventually serving aboard diesel and nuclearpowered submarines, cruisers, and aircraft carriers. Regulus chronicles a nearlyforgotten piece of cold war history. The regulus was the first strategic longrange nucleararmed guided missile deployed by the us navy.
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