Country of Origin: United States of America
Overall: 564 in. long x 30 in. diameter x 73 in. wing span, 9000 lb. (1432.56 x 76.2 x 185.42cm, 4082.4kg)
The fins are of aluminum. The combustion chamber is also of aluminum. Overall body, non-ferrous metal, probably also of aluminum. There are cross-wise bands of steel from the large black band on top of the fins.
This is the surface-to-surface Corporal, the United States' first operational guided missile. It was equipped with either a conventional or atomic warhead and ranged 75 miles. The liquid-fuel rocket engine produced 20,000 pounds of thrust and used storable propellants.
The development of the Corporal began in 1944, and the first successful launch was made in 1947. Its development was slow, however, due to other national defense project priorities; the missile did not become operational until 1954. The Corporal was furnished to the U.S. and British armies, and Corporal battalions were also stationed in Italy. The Corporal went out of operation in 1966.
This Corporal missile was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution in 1972 from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Transferred from the Jet Propulsion Lab, National Aeronautics and Space Administration