Museums

California

• {San Francisco, CA} The only Nike site being restored in the world is site SF-88 just north of San Francisco, California. Full time (volunteer) curator, radars, missiles, working missile elevators (ride down & up), a working launcher (raises a missile for visitors), guard dog kennels, hard working volunteers, guides, "un-believable", "amazing".

  How to Visit SF-88, the Nike Site being restored

Colorado

• Colorado Springs, Colorado
  Peterson Air and Space Museum - see "Missile Displays"
  
  Thomas Page suggests:
  http://www.petemuseum.org/NikeAjax.html
  http://www.petemuseum.org/nikeHercules.html
  http://www.petemuseum.org/Hawk.html
  http://www.petemuseum.org/Bomarc.html
  http://www.petemuseum.org/GenieRocket.html

Florida

• {Cape Canaveral} From Robert Read,
  Cape Canaveral Space & Missile Museum
  @ Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
  Cape Canaveral, Florida
  

  Two Nike-Ajax frame the outside of the exhibit building, one on the right & another on the left. I looked across the gigantic field of well over fifty various missiles & rockets, and instantly spotted the Nike-Hercules.

Germany

• {Berlin, Germany} from Rolf Dieter Görigk. E-mail and homepage updated by "chodan" There is a German Nike museum at:

  Förderverein des Luftwaffenmuseums der Bundeswehr e.V.
  -Geschäftsstelle Berlin-
  Postfach 45 02 22
  D-12172 Berlin, Germany
  Tel: 030-8110769, Fax: 030-8122553

  eMail: info@luftwaffenmusem.de
  Homepage: luftwaffenmuseum.de

  The entrance is free. The Museum is open: Tuesday - Sunday from 10:00 - 17:00 (last entry 16:00)

• {Koblenz, Germany, WTS} Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement, reported February 2003 by Michel van Best

• {Sinsheim (Baden-Wuerttemberg) Germany} Donald E. Bender, N.Y. Nike Web Site reports: "There is a complete Nike Hercules missile on display at the AUTO & TECHNIK MUSEUM SINSHEIM in Sinsheim (Baden-Wuerttemberg) Germany. The Museum (which also features an IMAX theater)is located close to the A6 Autobahn. It is also easily accessible via trains running between Mannheim and Heilbronn (the station is marked "Sinsheim/Museum") for those who prefer this "environmentally friendly" alternative mode of transportation.

  	AUTO & TECHNIK MUSEUM             Tel:  07261/61116 or /92990
  	Obere Au 2                        Fax:  07261/13916
  	D-74889 Sinsheim
  	Germany
  

Greece

• {Athens, Greece} I saw a Nike Ajax at the War Museum (also called the Byzantium Museum on some maps) near the Acropolis

Indiana

• {Cedar Lake, Indiana} VFW in Cedar Lake,Indiana (suburban Chicago) has a full size Nike Ajax, and a full size Nike Hercules missle on display in front of their place. They are located on the north side of the lake. reported July 2006 by Bill E.

Kansas

• {Topika, Kansas} Topeka, Kansas, Combat Air Museum reported February 2003 by Michel van Best

Maryland

• {Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Aberdeen Maryland}, An Ajax and Hercules. They are on the grounds of the Ordnence Museum. As reported by Ben Buja.

• {Hancock, Maryland}, An Ajax in front of a VFW in Hancock, MD. The missile is perched on a launcher in front of the VFW Hall, located on Main Street (Rt. 144), about a half mile east of downtown Hancock. The Hall is between the two exits for Hancock off of Interstate 70. As reported by Ken Buja.

• {Ft. Mead, Maryland} Between Washington, D.C. & Baltimore near Laurel, MD, and can be reached via I-95 or the Balt-Wash Parkway.
  Jan 2008, T Page found the Ft. Mead Nike web site
  John K. Scoggin, Jr. reports (Jan 2005) " ... two old missiles mounted vertically outside the museum - they are relatively small (Nike Ajax maybe?). ... It's a shame - there is VERY little in the museum regarding the Cold War era other than some pictures of personnel in different uniforms. ... It is difficult to get on-post without government ID. ... There is a Nike Hercules in the launcher outside the Post fenceline on Rt 175." [Dead Site? - As seen on the Bill Evans NIKE web page. ]

Michigan

• {Detroit, Michigan} From Jeff from news clipping - link to D-54

• {Selfridge Air Museum} From Brandon Bachelor (October 2001) "I'm a full time technician with the Michigan ANG at Selfridge (where there were several sites). [Selfridge is about 29 miles north east of Detroit, on M-59 off of I-94]

  There is a Nike Hercules on display on its launcher at the Selfridge Air Museum, which is located on base. You can plainly see it from M-59 (Hall Road). Also, until about 5 years ago there were a Ajax and Hercules on display (vertical) in front of the Michigan National Guard Armory on 8 Mile Road near Greenfield in Oak Park. The armory closed and the missiles...? "

Minnesota

• {St. Bonifacius, Minnesota} From William Fischer,
  I have located a Nike-Herc shell in a playground in a small Minnesota town called St. Bonifacius which was the former site of MS-70. The missile is in incredibly good condition.
  St. Bonifacius is about 35 Km west of Minneapolis or 12 Km west of Excelsior.

Missouri

• {St. Louis, Missouri} From Bob Campbell, a "Nike Ajax has been standing watch behind a local school for as long as I can remember. I'm half tempted to buy the thing and see what the neighbors say." The photo he sent shows an erect Nike AJAX in need of a friend, painted surfaces need help.

Netherlands

• "fort tilden" suggests:
  There is a Nike Ajax and Herc on launchers at the Dutch Air Force Museum in Soesterberg, Netherlands. Here are some nice photos

New Jersey

• Sandy Hook, Fort Hancock, - chipthebull@juno.com says
  "There is a Nike-H on display in Sandy Hook NJ at an old base. Sandy Hook is now a national recreation area in the past it has been military reservation Since the revolution."

  For more information about NY-56, Ft. Hancock, see site info

  from Mary Rasa October 7, 2002

  Nike insignia I am the museum curator for the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway NRA. ... By the way, we now have a Nike Ajax on its launcher on display in the park. We are also working toward the restoration of our IFC area. We started giving guided tours of the area this summer on selected days. Thanks Fort Hancock Historic District a web site

New Mexico

• National Atomic Museum on Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico
  Hal Behl says (September 1, 2000) "The [Hercules] launcher/rail is visible in our outside area, but not where people can touch it - The missile components are also visible, but not yet assembled on the rail."

• The Space Center, Alamagordo, New Mexico
  Nike Ajax

New York

• {Buffalo, N.Y.} Brian says "There is a Nike Herc on display on its launcher arm at the Buffalo Naval Park, dockside next to the Guided Missile Cruiser Little Rock. Kind of interesting to see a Nike near a Talos. Thought you might like to know." Brian's Nike photos

• {Mattituck, N.Y.} Richard Scheffler says "There is a small harbor in Mattituck N.Y. on the north shore of Long Island close to which is a privately owned Armor Museum. ... I walked around the site (it never seems to be open and is surrounded by a fence) and I was astonished to see a Nike Herc training missile parked there."

Norway

• Berg, Arne Einar 2007 says "A Herculus missile can be seen at Kjeller Airfield, outside Oslo, and The Air Museum at Gardrmoen Airport have several Nike equipment including a complete radar unit on display."
• Austerslått, Tor Willy says "There is a Nike Ajax (with booster) on display between the administrative buildings at Rustan, located about 1km from the launch pads and the magazines. See http://geekinfo.net/nike. "
  Location details at Nike in Norway

Ohio

• {Camp Perry, Port Clinton, Ohio 40 miles east of Toledo} Anonymous says

  The HERCULES is displayed along the west side of the main roadway into Camp Perry. I think it's Niagara Road. You can't miss it. [The camp] is one square mile, not very big. The two AJAX are displayed in front of the Bataan Armory. Building 3 on the east side of the main road, just before you come to Lawrence Road, which passes east to west behind the ranges. Your POC would be LTC Dean BROWN, (Facility Manager) 614-336-6280 ext 6201 - WebSite

Oklahoma

• {Oklahoma City, Oklahoma} State Fair park reported February 2003 by Michel van Best

Pennsylvania

• {Letterkenny Army Depot, Pennsylvania} An Ajax is displayed in front of an Army Surplus store located near the Letterkenny Army Depot. The store is located near the intersections of PA 977 and PA 433. (Letterkenny is the DOD Tactical Missle repair Center.) As reported by Ben Buja.

• {Fort Indiantown Gap Pennsylvania} From Steve Bardowski, Sitting on the north side of the Pennsylvania National Guard Department of Military Arts buiilding at Fort Indiantown Gap Pennsylvania are a Hercules and an Ajax.

  If you are traveling either Soutbound or or Northbound on Interstate 83 [I-83] you will see exit signs for the Fort. Exit, travel through the Fort, see the missiles, and the road you are on will carry you back to I-83.

South Dakota

• {Rapid City, South Dakota} At Ellsworth Air Force Base near Rapid City, South Dakota. There is a South Dakota Air Museum located at the base and {I have heard} there is one on Display there. As reported by Ben Buja.

Spain

• {Madrid, Spain} (September 2005) From Felix Huancos - "I have found in Madrid a complete Nike Hercules in the "Cuartel General del Mando de Artillería Antiaérea y del Regimiento de Artillería Antiaérea Nº 71"

  [Maybe] missile is one of the former Nike Batallion in south Spain. This is the website of the museum (In Spanish) http://www.ejercito.mde.es/ihycm/museo/aaafuencarral/anti3.html

Texas

• Austin, Texas Spotted by Donald E. Bender

• {Burnet, Texas} Air Museum reported February 2003 by Michel van Best

• {Ft. Bliss, El Paso, Texas} The ADA Museum, corner of Robert E. Lee Road and Pleasanton Rd. S.E. part of the fort. (Building 5000) Has Nike Ajax and Hercules with launchers.

Virginia

• Air Power Park in Hampton, Virginia, near Langley AFB. has examples of a NIKE AJAX and NIKE Hercules on what appear to be original type launch rails. From Joe Zebrowski
  
• Washington, D.C., Washington Dulles International Airport, the Udvar-Hazy Center, south of the main terminal (after December 2003). Nike-Ajax missile cutaway, Nike-Ajax missile. Thanks to Ben Buja.
  & Nike Ajax, standing tall :-)) With Space Shuttle in background, (Feb 2005) see photo Thanks to George Evans.

Washington (state of)

• (Bridgeport, Washington) a really nice Nike Ajax and Hercules in Berryman War Memorial Park near the city swimming pool. See picture at bottom of Town website. Spotted by Bryon Schopp January 2005
• (Ft. Lewis, Tacoma, Washington) ... driving by the Ft. Lewis Military Museum on I-5, if you look quick, you can just see a Nike missle on display on its side outside to the side of the building... Spotted by Keith Schramm 2002

• {Milwaukee, Wisconsin} Jack Schafer reports that there is a surplus missile in front of a restaurant on the south side of Okauchee lake, west of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
  

Comments about acquisition of materials for museums by Ed Thelen

Acquition of materials for museums is a difficult and subtle art, especially if you are dealing with limited (zero) funds and limited ability to reward donors (with publicity). I tried to obtain some sets of launcher cables (heavy, bulky) from a nation that had phased out their Nike Hercules systems. National defense forces also operate on limited budgets and were reluctant to expend time and money to packup and transport equipment back to the U.S. Insurance was also a question - for how much would you insure tons cables that are basically scrap, but no longer manufactured and practically irreplaceable? Shippers are used to insurance - they want to be protected if there is trouble. Trying to convince a shipping concern to help load, transport, unload four tons of equipment with no insurance, for free, with no visible reward, is an interesting challenge. It was believed that there would be no problems with U.S. customs. I got to meet very interesting people, but after a year requested that others give it a try.

Site Recognition

Kenneth A. Turner asked

re: R-88 By the way, are municipalities good with honoring Nike sites? I know it isn't like the Washington Monument but do you think they will spring for a plaque? The governing municipality is the Peach County Commssion. It is out of city limits of Byron but I know the city attorney there. and later - Feb. 7, 2000: Preservation: I have sent a letter as of a few weeks back to the Peach County Commission chair per seeking a declaration of R-88 as a historic site or at least the erection of a plaque. Thus far nothing has been heard from the chair or the newspaper reporter who sought me out about a story on the missile base.

Tom Vaughn responded to the original question

Hello Ken, Here are some ideas to help get some kind of recognition for or at R-88. Contact the following organizations: county or other local historical society Veterans organizations that have chapters in the county talk to the present owner's of the site. Does Pytrotechnics own both the IFC and launch area? Contact the state department that has an interest in historical sites. Here in Indiana it's the Division of National Resources. They have been a great help in getting C-47 Wheeler, IN listed on the federal register of historical sites and the Indiana historical site list. Without the state supporting us the federal government (National Park Service) wouldn't give us the time of day. The history department of a local university. Local boy scouts or girl scouts groups and other such organization. Maybe the scouts could even build something. Was R-88 a regular Army site? I think it was since I believe the 61st Artillery was regular Army. So you may want to contact any regular Army base in the area. Also try any Army reserve units in the area. Feel free to contact me with any questions. Tom Vaughn, La Porte, IN

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