Venice missile launch complex

The Venice missile launch complex was a Cold War Regulus missile firing installation[1] "adjacent to the Venice Municipal Airport"[2] on the Venice, Florida, beach.[3] Beginning in 1959, KD2U-1 drone versions of the Regulus were JATO-launched from the strip of beach in front of the airport, flew across the Gulf of Mexico for simulating a penetrating enemy bomber for test interception, and then were "recovered on the runway at Eglin" AFB.[4] The launch complex was one of several Eglin missile range facilities[5] (e.g., the Anclote Missile Tracking Annex near Tampa)[6] and conducted the "Regulus 2, KD2U intercept missile test [on] September 3, 1959" in which the "first launch of the Air Force's new Bomarc IM-99A missile [successfully intercepted] the Regulus 2 missile at 35,000 feet altitude and at supersonic speed"[7] (the Bomarc launch complex was at tbd after "BOMARC missiles arrived Jul 1958" at Hurlburt Field.)[8]

References

  1. ↑ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1798&dat=19590904&id=rwEdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7IoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7191,376206
  2. ↑ http://www.angelfire.com/realm3/roynagl/regulus.htm#regulus
  3. ↑ "title tbd". Retrieved 2014-07-09. defense contractor Ling-Temco-Vought which in the late 50's and early 60's built and launched Regulus II cruise missiles from the beach directly in front of the Venice Airport
  4. ↑ http://www.webring.org/l/rd?ring=nikesite;id=14;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eregulus%2Dmissile%2Ecom%2FRegulusII%2Ehtml
  5. ↑ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19600521&id=I5ocAAAAIBAJ&sjid=L2UEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6213,4576785
  6. ↑ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19690515&id=E0tSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xnsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6431,3371311
  7. ↑ http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum20/HTML/000949.html
  8. ↑ Mueller, Robert (1989). "Eglin Air Force Base". Air Force Bases (PDF) (Report). Volume I: Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. Office of Air Force History. p. 136. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
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