MIM-14 Nike Hercules Anti-Aircraft Missile (1958)

Scale: 1/40
Initial Release: 1958
Medium: Styrene
Kit Rarity: 3

About the Design

The Nike Hercules was a "second generation" anti-aircraft missile designed to defend American cities against Soviet air attack. Conceived in 1953 and declared operational in 1958, this was an upgrade of the earlier Nike Ajax.

There are reports that some Nike-Hercules missiles were actually armed with nuclear warheads to shoot down entire formations of Russian bombers -- over U.S. cities! Such interceptions were to only occur at specific altitudes so the nuclear blasts wouldn't destroy the cities they were intended to protect. 

About the Kit

Revell released this large-scale kit three times, first in 1958, then as a "History Makers" kit in 1982, and finally as a "Selected Subjects" kit in 1994. 

This is a copy of the "History Makers" issue from the mid-1980s.