Alfred Fartknocker:
Wife poses with Aden (6 months, 8Kg) and an S-75 Dvina (SA-2 'GUIDELINE' to NATO) Surface to Air missile at Omurtag, Bulgaria.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The Fairey Fireflash was a first generation Air to Air Missile. This telemetry round is on display at Tangmere. Only the two boosters are powered (and run for 1.5 secs) The yellow bit is the actual missile, unpowered, and coasts to the target at Mach 2.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is a Russian R-17 Elbrus missile, known to NATO as the SS-1 and famously to the entire World as the 'SCUD'. This 'SCUD-B' is preserved in Sofia, a remnant of the things' service in Bulgaria. Seen on its TEL- this is not a common sight.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is the Russian 9K720 Iskander-M missile on its launcher, in Sofia. 'Iskander' is another way of saying 'Alexander' as in 'the Great'. To NATO it is SS-26 'STONE'. This hypersonic (Mach 6-7) missile is in use these days in Ukraine.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Baby Aden, Five months now, sits on a Vympel K-13 AAM, which is mounted on #501, a MiG-21bis-Lasur. This is an AA-2A Advanced 'ATOLL', an unlicensed copy of the AIM-9G Sidewinder. It's such a faithful copy that even part numbers are duplicated and parts
Alfred Fartknocker:
Looks like a missile, but this is a rocket. Known by its makers in Russia as a 9K52 Luna-M, in the West it's just a 'FROG-7'. This is an unguided, but aimed, bombardment rocket- FROG stands for 'Free Rocket Over Ground'. HE or Nuke warheads used.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is an SA-4 'GANEF' twin TEL- that's Transporter, Erector, Launcher. I'd never seen one before, and the missiles are huge! Here Adens Mum insists he have a seat on it in the Military History Museum in Sofia.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The SA-3 'GOA' is not a new missile, after all, the SA-2 'GUIDELINE' before it has been around for decades. These missiles have been continuously upgraded over the years, though- and one of these brought down a F-117A Stealth Fighter over Serbia.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is an S-200 Vega Surface to Air missile- known in the West as SA-5 'GAMMON'. This missile dates from the sixties, but the Russians have produced some very effective missiles. Still used by Bulgaria, a NATO member these days, this is a fast mover-
Alfred Fartknocker:
Martin Marietta produced the MGM-31 Pershing nuclear missile- this is a Luftwaffe Pershing 1a, preserved at Gatow. US Pershings fell under the 'Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty' aka INF treaty of 1988.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is the missile known as 'GOA' to NATO. Its Western designation is SA-3. The launch booster, right at the back, comes off shortly after launch, leaving the jaggy bit at the front coming after you, mighty quickly!
Alfred Fartknocker:
Tuplolev made these recce drones, and they seem to have been quite widely used by the Warsaw Pact Countries, before most of them joined NATO! (3?)201 is a Tu-243 'REYS-D', I think- preserved in Bucharest.
Alfred Fartknocker:
A pukka V-2 Missile on show at the Muzeul Aviatiei in Bucharest. Had a few repairs, but too many fine details to be a replica. The Germans sent a few of these to London and Antwerp some years ago. The V stands for Vergeltungswaffe, which means 'Revenge
Alfred Fartknocker:
A pair of US Anti Aircraft missiles on show at Soesterburg AM, Utrecht, NL. Nike Hercules nearest, Nike Ajax behind it. This is real 'Cold War' equipment- thankfully both systems retired unfired.
Alfred Fartknocker:
533 is a genuine 'Skunk Works' product, a Mach 3 D-21 'TAGBOARD' recce drone. This one is a D-21B, modified to be launched from a B-52. The original drones were to be launched from an M-21 Blackbird, at Mach 3...
Alfred Fartknocker:
Assorted ex-mil materiel at Quartzsite, AZ. Looks like an M3 Halftrack, and the silver AT-11 is N68255 (ex 41-27650) but what is the target drone? Thanks to K Kuhn, we can know that it's a Fairchild SD-5 Osprey recce drone.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This one is a Ryan YQM-98A R-TERN drone, preserved at the Pima AM, Tucson, AZ. 72-1872 should have a podded YF-104 engine on top, but that has been removed. This type of recce drone flew as a 'COMPASS COPE R' (R for Ryan).
Alfred Fartknocker:
My kids play with a North American AGM-28 'Hound Dog' nuclear Air to Surface missile in the Eglin AFB Museum. Nice to see one with the J-52 motor still attached. These were used to clear a path for B-52s on their way to the target.
Alfred Fartknocker:
69-0432 "DM" 'Jaws' is a Ryan AQM-34L 'Lightning Bug' photo drone, developed from a 'Firebee' target drone. These were launched from a DC-130 that could carry them four at a time. Seen on its handling trolley at the Pima AM, Tucson, AZ.
Alfred Fartknocker:
I thought this was a MQ-9 'Reaper' drone, until I remembered where I was... It's actually a similar looking Chinese knock-off called a CH-4B. It shares the same wingspan (66') but according to the Chinese (Bless them) everything else is different.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is a Boeing CIM-10 BOMARC missile, on show at Eglin AFB Armaments Museum. This big SAM was a long range missile, intended to defend the USA from Soviet attacks routing in from the North. Also deployed in Canada. This one is 59-2016,
Alfred Fartknocker:
Chance Vought Regulus- one of the first Submarine launched cruise missiles, on display on O'ahu, Hawai'i.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is a pair of Swiss made Contraves RSE 'Kriens' Surface to Air missiles. These were successfuly developed by c. 1966, but never entered service.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Bristol Bloodhound missile is perched on its launcher at Dubendorf. The two 'Thor' ramjets can be seen plus the four boosters used to get it going.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The Swiss operated the British made Bloodhound surface to air missile. They preserved this one in Dubendorf as if it was in flight. So, it's shed the four boosters and is being propelled by the two Bristol 'Thor' ramjets.
Alfred Fartknocker:
What can this be? Surely not the ABM system ringing Moscow......
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is a pair of North American AGM-28A 'Hound Dog' missiles, still mounted on their pylons, as fitted to B-52s.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is a Tu-141 Strizh (Swift) recconaissance drone.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This is a X-22 (Kh-22 in Russian) 'KITCHEN' stand off missile, as used by the Tu-22M 'BACKFIRE' bomber behind it. As of 2022 these are in use in Ukraine- a Country with a posessive neighbour.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Ryan Firebee AQM-34L drone, "Jaws" preserved at Pima AM.
