Chance Vought SSM-N-9/RGM-15 Regulus II

Why did some Regulus IIs have landing gear ?
As a missile, the Regulus is not supposed to land, and it's easier to launch it with a rocket booster.
proxy-image.jpg proxy-image (1).jpg
 
Why did some Regulus IIs have landing gear ?
As a missile, the Regulus is not supposed to land, and it's easier to launch it with a rocket booster.
View attachment 726790View attachment 726789

Those Regulus II missiles were prototypes and pre-production missiles which the USN wanted to be reusable on the grounds that they were basically very expensive unmanned aircraft.
 
Those Regulus II missiles were prototypes and pre-production missiles which the USN wanted to be reusable on the grounds that they were basically very expensive unmanned aircraft.
Regulus I also came with landing gear (FTM - Fleet Training Missile) - have to check but would think the II would have been available with landing gear for the same reasons.

Enjoy the Day! Mark
 
Attachment 1: details of the 'trim vanes' ( canards ). Stabilised the missile on launch and reduced its landing speed by 30 mph during testing.

Attachment 2: details of the 150lb magnesium 'sugar scoop' air intake casting and its boundary splitter, manufactured by RH Osbrink.

Attachment 3: loading an R-II onto a C-124 using the bespoke dolly.

Attachment 4: first surface firing from AG-157 USS King County, 10 Dec 1958.

Attachment 5: the complicated and congested deck operations to prep an R-II for launch from Grayback. If I understand the images correctly, with the upgrade for R-II a new external launching ramp was installed between the two hangars that 'picked' a missile out of each hangar. Must have been hydrodynamically noisy.
 

Attachments

  • Regulus_II_trimmers_AvWeek_19571223_025.JPEG
    Regulus_II_trimmers_AvWeek_19571223_025.JPEG
    300 KB · Views: 24
  • Dow_intake_AvWeek_19580609_003.JPEG
    Dow_intake_AvWeek_19580609_003.JPEG
    313.7 KB · Views: 22
  • Regulus_II_C-124_AvWeek_19580901_023.JPEG
    Regulus_II_C-124_AvWeek_19580901_023.JPEG
    140.5 KB · Views: 23
  • Regulus_II_King_County_AvWeek_19581222_013.JPEG
    Regulus_II_King_County_AvWeek_19581222_013.JPEG
    141.4 KB · Views: 20
  • Regulus_II_Grayback_AvWeek_19580825_023.JPEG
    Regulus_II_Grayback_AvWeek_19580825_023.JPEG
    381.1 KB · Views: 27
Last edited:
Clearest shot I've found of Grayback's launcher. Appears to run on fore-aft track with points ( switch ) to enable it to roll into selected hangar. Additional lateral curving track to provide azimuth when launcher in aftmost position.

Also a bonus photo of the deck and hangars after conversion for SOF support. Mk VII SDV in port hangar. Some tracking still visible on deck.
 

Attachments

  • USS_Grayback_hangars.jpg
    USS_Grayback_hangars.jpg
    338.7 KB · Views: 28
  • Grayback_Regulus_II_launcher.jpeg
    Grayback_Regulus_II_launcher.jpeg
    842.9 KB · Views: 36
I really do like the lines of the Grayback class boats...

Another piece helping kill off the Regulus missiles was all the WW2 combat veteran Admirals saying "I need to spend HOW LONG on the surface to launch this missile?!?"

Halibut, the nuke Regulus boat, had some terrifyingly large ballast tanks to get her off the surface in a hurry.
 
Although Grayback and Growler are often grouped together and appear superficially similar, Grayback ws built at Mare Island, Ca. (MINSY) and is a SCB137 design. Growler (SCB SCB 161) was constructed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PINSY) in Kittery, Maine. Grayback was 334 in length with a 30 foot beam, whereas Growler was 318 feet in length and 29 foot beam.

With regard to Halibut, the biggest fear was flooding of the missile hanger. A non-recoverable event. It was a "on off" design; the planned later Permit class SSGNs had separate hangers for the four Regulus II missiles. When Regulus II was cancelled, the Permit class became SSNs, designated as Thresher/Permit class.

Since Scott likes the lines, here are some photos of Growler. A decent look at the hangers and a Regulus I missile onboard. If you look closely, you can see the rails beneath the missile launcher for training it to the side for launch.
 

Attachments

  • DSC_0208.jpeg
    DSC_0208.jpeg
    1.2 MB · Views: 18
  • DSC_0318.jpeg
    DSC_0318.jpeg
    1 MB · Views: 15
  • DSC_0319.jpeg
    DSC_0319.jpeg
    1.2 MB · Views: 15
  • DSC_0320.jpeg
    DSC_0320.jpeg
    978.7 KB · Views: 12
  • DSC_0324.jpeg
    DSC_0324.jpeg
    1.3 MB · Views: 12
  • DSC_0383.jpeg
    DSC_0383.jpeg
    1.1 MB · Views: 12
Last edited:
Although Grayback and Growler are often grouped together and appear superficially similar, Grayback ws built at Mare Island, Ca. (MINSY) and is a SCB137 design. Growler (SCB SCB 161) was constructed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PINSY) in Kittery, Maine. Grayback was 334 in length with a 30 foot beam, whereas Growler was 318 feet in length and 29 foot beam.

With regard to Halibut, the biggest fear was flooding of the missile hanger. A non-recoverable event. It was a "on off" design; the planned later Permit class SSGNs had separate hangers for the four Regulus II missiles. When Regulus II was cancelled, the Permit class became SSNs, designated as Thresher/Permit class.

Since Scott likes the lines, here are some photos of Growler. A decent look at the hangers and a Regulus I missile onboard. If you look closely, you can see the rails beneath the missile launcher for training it to the side for launch.
Thank you very much!
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom