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This is a cutaway of an experimental attempt by the U.S. Army's Picatinny Arsenal, Dover, NJ, to produce a simple, gas pressurant-fed liquid propellant (possibly storable) rocket motor for a small caliber air-to-air missile. A gas generator drives a piston, forcing propellants into the combustion chamber. The chamber painted red in its interior appears to have stored the oxidizer while the chamber painted green was probably stored the fuel. The pale green small chamber was the combustion chamber, which also includes a built-in nozzle at its rear. The small chamber at the front of the motor contained the gas pressurant composition, apparently simulated by the area painted in black. The missile has four fold-out fins at the rear.

The U.S. Army Picatinny Arsenal transferred this rocket motor cutaway to the Museum in 1968.

 Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin United States of America Type PROPULSION-Rocket Engines Manufacturer Picatinny Arsenal
 Physical Description Long cylinder, cutaway, showing two main chambers, one, at front end of cylinder painted glossy red inside and with glossy yellow rod running down middle of it, this rod affixed at both end by yellow discs; each disc with white plastic ring around middle; other chamber, at other (rear) end of long cylinder, painted semi-glossy dark green; smaller chamber, painted pale green, at rear end of dark green chamber, this chamber tapering down towards rear of fin section of rocket; same pale green chamber appears to be small rocket combustion chamber with rocket nozzle; two of the four folding fins in fin section of rocket, behind or at rear of pale green engine section, can be easily folded out, while the other two fins are imbedded with fin section; in between fin section is long narrow channel, apparently for escaping exhaust gases from nozzle at end of pale green chamber; fins, long, straight-edged; forward or front end of rocket cylinder, above red chamber, is larger diameter, but shorter cylinder, cutaway, painted glossy black and evidently simulating igniter or gas pressurant composition; short, thin blue plastic insulated electrical wire strands projecting from bottom of cylinder on rear of small cutaway cylinder; overall outside of rocket cylinder, aluminum color; the entire long rocket body cylinder mounted on long rectangular varnished wooded display stand, by four alternating aluminum and plexi attachment fixtures; small rectangular black plastic label affixed at angle in front of stand, with white lettering, reading "XLR-1"; rocket is in excellent condition, save for minor surface rusting on end of igniter. Dimensions 2-D - In Frame (H x W x D): 30.5 x 10.8cm, 22.7kg (12 x 4 1/4 in., 50lb.)
2-D - Unframed (H x W): 14.6cm (5 3/4 in.)
 Materials Aluminum
Steel
Wood
Paint
Fibre Laminate
Plastic
Synthetic Rubber
Body, overall aluminum; rear (nozzle or fin) end of rocket case, steel; fin assembly, aluminum; rear insert at this end, steel; igniter end, with wires protruding from it, steel, with light surface rust; electrical wires, with blue plastic insulation; stand, wood
 Inventory Number A19700274000 Credit Line Transferred from Picatinny Arsenal Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
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