Consists of motor section, the main part of the rocket, cylindrical; partial, 1/3 cutway along length revealing nozzle, steel with threads around lip; combustion chamber end, steel; two very bent, rounded fins attached to base before each side of cutway and secured to body by one screw only for each fin; nozzle outside diameter, 2 inches, inside diameter, 1 3/4 inches; roll of clear plastic sheeting inserted along cutaway of propellant section, revealing six or eight brown paper tubes which are to simulate the propellant grains; top of motor section closed off and recessed; overall, silver metal with much discoloration, scratches, and grime; black stenciled lettering at end of cylinder reading "HO'A"; partial thread around top of cylinder at recessed end for screwing on warhead; warhead of nose, missing; TV type two-stranded electrical wire with clear plastic insulation and bare copper wire ends protruding from nozzle; washer and other parts down nozzle end. Overall body, aluminum. Other major rocket component, an aluminum tube, partial, 1/3 cutaway along length and constituting the payload (propaganda leaflet) compartment; empty, with leaflets, actually pieces of rice paper, with message in English and Vietnamese, removed and in NASM Archives; this tube section fits neatly onto motor section; continuation of North Vietnamese notation in black on end of tube reading: "1.01 - 8 - 69 - Y." Three steel curved segments, or gores, painted olive drab and not of the same color as the main rocket sections; all of the identical shape, length, and other dimensions. These segments do not appear to go with the rocket, and laid end to end do not cover the entire rocket. Additionally, there is a steel disc, also painted olive drab, of 4 1/4 inches in diameter and 3/4 inches thick actually consisting of two discs joined together. This disc too does not appear to go with the rocket and does not fit well on either end of the above rocket cylinders. The last piece is an aluminum ring cut at an angle on top with two fabric strips criss-crossed and loose, secured to the inside of the ring by aluminum rivets; fabric very dirty and oily. Leaflets in English and Vietnamese. Created by Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Date Created 02/17/2022 Source Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Keywords Rockets; Space Rights and Restrictions Not determined
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.