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1961 Contractor Model Improved Honest John Missile

1961 Douglas Aircraft Contractor's Model of "Improved Honest John" U.S. Nuclear Missile (15 x 2") A contractor's display model of the Douglas Aircraft "Improved Honest John" missile. This model is made of green plastic and reads "US Army." It was manufactured in-house for presentation to employees and procurement officers. The Honest John missile was the first nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface rocket in the US arsenal; it was tested in 1951 and deployed in January 1953. It was also capable of carrying ordinary high-explosive warheads, even though that was not the primary purpose for which it was envisioned. The Honest John consisted of a truck-mounted, unguided, solid-fueled rocket transported in 3 separate parts. Before launch these three parts were assembled in the field, mounted on an M289 launcher and aimed and fired in about 5 minutes. By the time production of the Honest John class of missiles ended production in 1965, over 7000 had been produced. The "improved Honest John" missile had a greater range than the original Honest John and it was greater in diameter and longer than the original, giving it a longer burning time and longer range while carrying the same payload. The model comes on a rectangular Lucite base, and its original shipping box and brochure. VERY RARE! Excellent condition.