Just got back from doing some airplane hunting(pics)

[Nathan]

Hi all,

I just got back from visiting a MACE rocket that is about 30 miles from where I live in a town I only been in once before. It was kinda cool and I really like stuff like this. For a rocket this thing was pretty big. It could really use some TLC as well. Here are some pictures of it.

Enjoy!
Nathan



Me.

[Nathan]

Today I went for a little trip to get some shots of a MACE rocket that I heard about. I found it at an American Legend Post about 30 miles south of where I live. First let me explain that this place is practically out in the middle of no where and one has to think how a warbird would end up there? Technically it is not a plane but a rocket propelled missile. This MACE MGM-13B was designed back in the 1950's and was used as a surface-to-surface missile with an added range of 1300 miles. These missiles would typically be launched from a truck or from a bunker.

Part II: Here are some more walk around pictures of the MACE rocket that I took today. Comments welcomed.

Cheers,
Nathan

[mustangdriver]

That is pretty cool stuff. Looks like she is getting kind of rough.

[Nathan]

Hi Mustangdriver,

Doesn't this kind of stuff get you all worked up? It does me. Love finding planes(umm, well rocket) like this and yes although I wish to see it looking restored and new there is something neat about it. Kinda like something from a boneyard. I am sure that this thing is still on loan? I wonder.....would it be sellable and would you think they would sell it to me?

Also, question for all you rocket buffs out there. I learned that these things had foldable wings for easy transport. Any idea were the fold is at on the wing? I forgot to check while I was there.

[Nathan]

How many MACE rockets are left?

[bdk]

Looks like a turbine powered missile rather than a rocket. Rocket implies that the vehicle carries its own oxidizer, i.e. not airbreathing.

Further research shows that it was launched by a rocket whereupon the turbine took over, a J-33 (same as used in the T-33 jet trainer by the way).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mace_%28rocket%29

[Old SAR pilot]

Most all of the active Mace squadrons were located overseas, since they targeted "you know who". The link below is to one such site at Grunstadt, Germany. The missiles were not located in bunkers, but on exposed pads, initially, followed by protective "sheds". The location of this unit was on a VERY exposed hilltop!

http://www.mace-b.com/38TMW/Sembach/site3.htm

This is what the launch sheds looked like 15 years after the missiles left:

Last edited by Old SAR pilot on Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:13 am, edited 2 times in total.

[Bluedharma]

Hey Nathan,

Here are a few pictures of a MACE rocket near where I live.



This rocket is in Littleton,CO.

This is a great website: http://www.mace-b.com/38TMW/Missiles/flight.htm

[George Mindling]

Nathan,

I just saw your posting about the MGM-13A missile. I have a page dedicated to the Mace and the people who manned and maintained it at http://www.mace-b.com/38TMW/Missiles/mace.htm: 1st, the decal on the fuselage is wrong: that is an early TM-76A with a nose cone that somebody scrounged up to replace the original fiberglass nose cone. Later the TM-76A was renumbered to MGM-13A. The inertial guidance version (TM-76B) was changed to CGM-13B. 2nd, I would like to use your aft photo, the one that shows the "dog house" on my web site., that is a great shot detailing the tailpipe area.

By the way, where is this Mace located?

George Mindling

[George Mindling]

Hello everybody,

The MACE missile was rocket launched by a 100,000lb thrust Thiokol booster rocket which separated after launch. The missile was sustain powered by a J33-A41 turbojet engine. The A birds were RFML launched from translaunchers, (stationed at Hahn and Sembach, Germany) the B birds were all coffin, or hard site mounted (Bitburg, Germany & Kadena, Okinawa)

Hope this helps,
George

[BrianVallero]

COOL great picture.