Usage Conditions May Apply Usage Conditions Apply There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and image viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. More - https://iiif.si.edu View Manifest View in Mirador Viewer Usage Conditions May Apply Usage Conditions Apply There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and image viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. More - https://iiif.si.edu View Manifest View in Mirador Viewer Usage Conditions May Apply Usage Conditions Apply There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and image viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. More - https://iiif.si.edu View Manifest View in Mirador Viewer

This is the RTV-N-15, also known as Pollux, a post-World War II U.S. Navy pulsejet-powered research vehicle for missile development and testing piloted aircraft components. The last and largest vehicle of the important Gorgon series of post-war experimental Navy missiles, it was unusual in having an internally-mounted pulsejet and was an attempt to increase the normally slow operating speed of a pulsejet vehicle by streamlining.

The design range was 75-100 nautical miles, with guidance by active radar and heat-seeking homing. It made only three test flights from 1948-1951 and then was cancelled due to its slow development. This is probably the only extant example of the RTV-N-15 and was donated to the Smithsonian in 1971 by the U.S. Navy.

 Display Status

This object is on display in Rockets & Missiles at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.

Rockets & Missiles
Object Details
Country of Origin United States of America Type CRAFT-Missiles & Rockets Dimensions Overall: height, 5 ft. 3 in. x length, 29 ft. 2 (351 in.) diameter, 20 inches; span, rear fins, 121 in. (10 ft.); span, front fins, 60 in. (5 ft.); weight, 1150 lbs.
 Materials Overall, aluminum; pitot tube, lower portion, steel; end portion, or tip, non-ferrous metal; cowling around exhaust end of missile, steel; flush screws on fins and elsewhere, steel; internally, white plastic insulated electrical wires; cross bar fo junction box (marked, "Junction Box"), steel; multi cables with steel braided wires; glass vacuum tube near end; green colored chrome paint internally.
 Alternate Name RTV-N-15 drone Inventory Number A19710764000 Credit Line Transferred from U.S. Navy Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.