|
|
 |
|
Click, Return to - 39 History
Welcome
to the
Honest John Missile page
39th
Missile Regiment RA
1960's - 70's
***
My son said:
Dad, did you play with rockets, when you were younger !
Yes, Son, - in my day's
we had real rockets !?
To see them !
Click, on the rocket below.
| Click on Missile for short - 1957 |
|
Film - Honest John Missile 
|
That was only
46 years ago !
***
|
|
|
Frank Rowe - showing off ! with the - Honest John warhead.
The Honest John was a long-range artillery rocket capable of carrying an atomic or high explosive warhead. It
was a free-flight rocket
as opposed to a guided missile. The rocket was 27 feet long, 30 inches in diameter, weighed 5,800 pounds, used a solid propellant
and had a range of 12 miles. It was first fired at White
Sands in 1951. In the Spring of 1954 the Honest John was deployed as
an interim system.
This was
the first US
tactical nuclear weapon. The Basic (M31) HONEST JOHN system was first deployed in 1954. It was replaced by the Improved
(M50) HONEST JOHN in 1961 which reduced the system's weight, shortened its length, and increased its range. Between 1960 and
1965, a total of 7,089 improved HONEST JOHN rockets, less warheads, were produced and delivered. In July 1982, all HONEST
JOHN rocket motors, launchers, and related ground equipment items were type classified obsolete.
The 'Honest John' Missile - Blast Off, Hohner range, North Germany 1961
(The spinn rockets in action and the launcher vehicle
in the smoke.)
************
For more information on the 'Honest John Missile', visit Tony's website at:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
**
Please, use our e mail above
for
Comments and Information
on the:
(
39 Missile Regiment RA )
** **
My Address & Telephone Numbers
on Application Form
Top, left
Thank you for looking at 'The 39ers Club' website'.
Michael (Cabby) Hughes - Website Creator, Secretary & Webmaster.
(Sep 2003) All Rights Reserved ©
Please Note
This (The 39ers Club) is a personal web site and
has no official status. The contents and design of this site is by me and no other. I WISH TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED
TO MY SITE. I served with the Royal Regiment of Artillery from 1954 till 1976 of which a considerable amount of that time
was spent with - 39 Regt RA or 40 Regt RA - Sennelager or Gutersloh, West Germany
|
|
|
|
