Nike Hercules

INTREPER · Post by **INTREPER** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 9:13 am

Does anyone know where I can find a model or replica of a Nike Hercules missile? I've seen pictures of them online but can't find one anywhere that is still available. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jericoeagle1 · Post by **Jericoeagle1** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 9:16 am

I've been looking for one of those myself, Estes Flying Rockets or Centuri Model Rockets used to have the Nike Ajax missle for a bit but it can't be found anymore and Centuri has gone out of business. I've always wanted to recreate a Nike Missle Battery at nearby Fort Lewis they still have them on display there.

INTREPER · Post by **INTREPER** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 9:32 am

I just found out last night that a close family friend worked on them. Needless to say, I was super excited to find that out and want to give him a model of one for X-mas since it's so close

Bruzzer · Post by **Bruzzer** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 12:24 pm

Here's a link to a good Nike site. Their links page has alot more info.
http://www.nikemissile.org/
I went to SF-88 here in NorCal and it was very cool. Its just north of San Francisco. When I went they had 3 missles on the launchers and 1 on the elevator. After they gave a tour they brought up the other missle and elevated it. Since then I've had dreams of trying to do it in 1/6, with only one missle, maybe someday.

krieglok · Post by **krieglok** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 10:47 pm

There is a book that can be had through the website(Ed Thalen`s site) called "Rings of Supersonic Steel". I highly recommend it. They discuss the systems as well as the missles and all the bases. My father worked for Bell Labs(a Bell Telephone subsidiary at the time) on the Nike Zeus project in the late 50s before the govt cancelled the project. The Zues was to be a ICBM intercept missle. He later worked for NY Bell, engineering Radar system land line connections for the various missile and radar installations right up until they were deactivated. Neat military stuff that was right in many of our own backyards. The missle base, 2 miles from my house when I was a kid, was BU-52, located in Hamburg, NY, defending Buffalo`s surrounding railyards and steel production facilities. Many of the units were initailly derived from US Army antiaircraft battery groups as well as coastal artillery groups and reestablished as US Army air defense missile units.

TJ

Quixote511 · Post by **Quixote511** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 5:17 am

Hey krieg--I grew up in Angola on the Lake---small world.
Aaron

krieglok · Post by **krieglok** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:01 am

Cool . Know it well. Spent many days at Lake Erie in that vicinity. I have not been back in two years though. The Nike Site by my old house was taken over by the town and we used one of the underground missile magazines as a shooting range for our highschool rifle team. All the silos and underground facilities were intact up till about five years ago when the town abandoned them and probably allowed them to flood. It wasnt to far from your location there in Angola. We passed the base when we were headed out to the lake. Do you recall "Mickey Rats"?

TJ

Quixote511 · Post by **Quixote511** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 12:30 pm

Yeah--I did many a thng I was not legally allowed to do at Mickey Rats when I was but a frosh and soph in high school. I know the old Nike base real well---my dad and I belonged to the Flying Knights and used to fly at the RC right next to the base. Did you know the little intersection right next to the VFW was Lockheed and Fairchild streets? It is fun to remember.
Aaron

krieglok · Post by **krieglok** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 2:57 pm

I didnt know the street names there too well, but I recall the VFW. I do know about the Flying Knights. I had some friends from Hamburg and Eden who belonged. There is a VFW across from the old Nike Base with a 155mm cannon and a M60 parked out front. That would be on Lakeview Rd. They seem to have knack for collection large hardware and since they are out in the open part of town, nobody complains(not that they should) about the stuff being there. I hope to see an aircraft like a Huey or an F4 Phantom parked there sometime when I visit at home. How long have you been away from the area? I moved to lovely NJ about 20 years ago.

TJ

Quixote511 · Post by **Quixote511** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 4:47 am

Been down here in the Dayton area since 1997. And yes, I think they have a chopper out in front of the VFW now, or I might be confusing it with the Eden one.
Aaron