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This is a replica of the Bumblebee ramjet-powered missile. The booster was made of a cluster of four standard solid-fuel 5-inch caliber HVAR (High Velocity Aircraft) rockets with fins attached. The booster shown here uses real HVAR rocket bodies although they do not contain propellants.

Bumblebee was a U.S. Navy research program for the development of a ramjet or rocket-powered surface-to-air guided missile to combat Kamikaze (Japanese suicide) planes threatening U.S. shipping during World War II.The first successful flight was conducted on 13 June 1945. This replica is of one of several small scale Bumblebee vehicles tested. Project Bumblebee eventually evolved into the Talos ship-to-air missile.

This object was donated to the Smithsonian in 1951 by the Johns Hopkins University.

 Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Date 1945 Country of Origin United States of America Type CRAFT-Missiles & Rockets Manufacturer The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
 Dimensions Overall: 2ft 7 1/2in. x 4ft 2in. x 5in., 180lb. (80.01 x 127 x 12.7cm, 81.6kg)
Other (Ramjet): 5ft 1in. x 8in., 50lb. (154.94 x 20.32cm, 22.7kg)
 Materials Ferrous Alloy
Wood
Non-Magnetic White Metal
Paint
Ink
 Inventory Number A19510009000 Credit Line Gift of Applied Physics Lab, Johns Hopkins University Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.