Nike-Ajax Pictures
These pictures were taken at the White Sands Proving Grounds in New Mexico during the testing of the Nike-Ajax missiles in 1954. The Marlton base housed this model Nike missile.
Here we are viewing a Nike- Ajax missile being fueled. Rubberized suites were worn for this hazardous task. Note the crewman with firehose at the ready.
An Ajax missile is launched. The black booster rocket tail would drop off at a predetermined area when the fuel was used up.
Control crew watches the missile on a radar screen as it guides itself to the target. This equipment was located in a trailer in the Control Area.
This was a drawing on a Nike-Ajax missile kit from the 1950's. This drawing gives a good view of a Nike launch area. On the left are the missiles being raised to the 90 degree launching posistion and the foreground portion shows a close-up of the launcher and rails. Also shown are the fueling area's earthen berm and behind this at a distance the city being protected is shown. We can also see a target being hit by a missile. Thankfully this scene never took place at any of the Nike bases.
This is a detail drawing from the model kit showing how the missiles would be pushed across the rails to the launcher, then raised.
This was the insignia of the Army Air Defense Command or ARADCOM, which administered the Nike Missile program
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