GAM-87A/AGM-48A Skybolt ALBM

[bobbymike]

I posted on the X-51 thread why not an Roadrunner II booster with TBG front end.

What is the Roadrunner II?

I’m in error should be Super Roadrunner. It’s a hypersonic speed capable solid booster used on the Holloman high speed sled track at China Lake.

Aerojet Rocketdyne to Produce New Joint Economical Sled Track Rockets

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Dec. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aerojet Rocketdyne has been awarded a $98.5 million contract under an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) by the Naval Aviation Systems Consortium to develop and manufacture motors and sleds in support of the Joint Economical Sled Track Rockets...

ca.finance.yahoo.com

 

[sferrin]

Was sitting at a table at a conference, shooting the bull with a guy who was director of engineering for another branch of our company, and found out he was the project engineer on that motor. I asked the same question, why never on a missile, and he said the motor was just strong enough to survive the launch so you wouldn't have things like motor casings flying down range or destroying test equipment.

(He lost it when he started to tell me how fast it's burn time was and I said, "1.2 seconds?")

 

[sferrin]

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Douglas GAM-87A/AGM-48A Skybolt ALBM Info​

Douglas GAM-87A/AGM-48A Skybolt ALBM Info

Interesting info from Bill Kuhlman on the Douglas GAM-87A/AGM-48A Skybolt ALBM. Credit: William H Kuhlman collection Download here or he...

aviationarchives.blogspot.com

 

[Kiltonge]

I have seen a photo of a model of the Victor bomber (I think in Secret Projects
Bombers or a similar book) carrying four missiles which are described as Skybolts.
However, the models show have four fins immediately to the rear of the warhead, rather
than at the rear as on other Skybolts shown. Was this missile a Handley Page
artists licence version of Skybolt or a completely different version?

UK 75

Canards were initially mounted on the second stage but were eliminated in March / April 1960 with the revised Skybolt Delta configuration. It is clear how the initial configuration drew on the WS-199 research vehicles ( second attachment ).

On the definitive flight configuration there were eight tail fins, but four were of shorter chord than the others. Those four adopted the function originally assigned to the canards, being used for the pitch & heading adjustment when the first stage fired.

Incidentally the KC-135 was also considered as a carrier.

 

[Dew]

I'd visited Cosford recently so thought I'd add these pics: