The Regulus 1 was the first operational U.S. Navy cruise missile. 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). A turbojet engine powered the missile to its target after two boosters were jettisoned. The missile was deployed on several aircraft carriers, heavy cruisers, and submarines (in watertight containers on the deck) from 1955 to 1964. Radio signals from a control aircraft or other submarines were the primary means of guiding the missile. The Polaris, the first U.S. submarine-launched ballistic missile, replaced the Regulus 1. Chance Vought built this missile and the U.S. Navy transferred it to NASM in 1988.
Display Status
This object is on display in Rockets & Missiles at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.
Object Details
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
CRAFT-Missiles & Rockets
Manufacturer
Chance Vought Aircraft
Dimensions
Overall: 9 ft. 6 in. tall x 33 ft. long x 21 ft. wing span x 4 ft. 6 in. diameter (289.56 x 1005.84 x 640.08 x 137.16cm)
Materials
Magnesium Alloy
Wood
Paint
Steel
Aluminum
Cadmium Coating
Overall metal, with cast magnesium alloy skin bonded to balsa core.
Alternate Name
Regulus I Cruise Missile
Inventory Number
A19880045000
Credit Line
Transferred from the United States Navy.
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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