The Sidewinder is a U.S. air-to-air missile originally developed by the U.S. Navy in the early 1950s. One of many versions produced through the years, the Air Intercept Missile 9J1 (AIM-9J1) had a conventional warhead, a solid-fuel motor, infrared guidance, a maximum speed in excess of Mach 2.5, and a range of 9 miles. Large numbers of the AIM-9J1 were deployed on U.S. aircraft beginning in 1977 and were exported to allied nations as well.
The model's manufacturer is unknown. John and Cynthia Heyde donated it to the museum.
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.