From an information panel inside the Museum:
From the late 1040's, the threat posed by bombers carrying atomic weapons led to the creation of remotely guided missiles capable of destroying such aircraft before they reached their targets. In the Unite States, the U.S. Air Force and Boeing signed a contract to design a long range missile with a nuclear warhead.
The missile was christened the Bomarc, from the collaboration between Boeing (BO) and the Michigan Aeronautical Research Center (MARC). In 1961, the initial production version of the Board was replaced by a better performing variant. This was the version that Royal Canadian Air Force installed at two bases, in Ontario and Quebec.
The new missiles were intended to reinforce the North American aire defence network.
While on paper the missile looked impressive, unfortunately the Bomarc was not able to intercept the long-rang nuclear armed missiles that began to appear at the beginning of the 1960s. Before long it was retired from service.
The Bomarc displayed here was manufactured in 1960 and served at the missile base in North-Bay, Ontario. The Canadian Armed Forces transferred its custody to the Museum in 1972.
The following is from the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum's website:
An American long-range, surface-to-air nuclear missile developed by Boeing Airplane Company (BO) and the Michigan Aeronautic Research Center (MARC) in 1950s; produced by Boeing from 1957 to 1964
First long-range anti-aircraft missile in the world
Operated by the U.S. Air Force and the RCAF until 1972 although never saw action
Served with two RCAF missile squadrons as part of NORAD from 1962 to 1972
Remotely launched by Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) computer control to intercept Soviet bombers
Political debate surrounding Bomarc's nuclear warheads played a significant role in the collapse of Canada's minority government in 1963
Once obsolete, Bomarcs served as target drones for testing more modern U.S. air-defence missiles
First flight was in 1959 (MiM-10A)
Artifact no.:
1973.0009
Manufacturer:
Boeing Airplane Company
Manufacturer Location:
United States
Manufacture Date:
1960
Registration no.:
60446 (RCAF)
Acquisition Date:
1972
History:
Introduced after the cancellation of the Avro Arrow, the Bomarc filled an anti-aircraft role as an unmanned long-range, surface-to-air weapon. By 1962 two RCAF Missile Squadrons were equipped with Bomarcs as part of the North American Air Defence Command (NORAD). Both squadrons formally disbanded on April 7, 1972. The Bomarcs were returned to the United States by September of that same year.
The Bomarc was a winged missile stored horizontally in a shelter from which it could be launched, after being raised vertically through a sliding roof. A solid-propellant booster rocket augmented the thrust of the two integral ramjet engines. Bomarc stands for Boeing Michigan Aeronautical Research Center.
Current Location:
Jet age Exhibition, Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Provenance:
Transfer from CAF
This Bomarc missile was manufactured by the Boeing Airplane Company in Seattle, Washington in July 1960. It was accepted by the RCAF and delivered to North Bay, Ontario, where it was in service with No. 446 Surface to Air Missile Squadron from 1962 until 1972, when it was withdrawn from Canadian service. The Canadian Armed Forces transferred the Bomarc to the Museum in July 1972.
Technical Information:
Wing Span 5.5 m (18 ft 2 in)
Length 13.7 m (45 ft 1 in)
Height 0.89 m (2 ft 11 in)
Weight, Empty Unknown
Weight, Gross 7,272 kg (16,032 lb)
Cruising Speed 3,434 km/h (2,134 mph)
Max Speed 3,434 km/h (2,134 mph)
Rate of Climb Unknown
Service Ceiling 30,480 m (100,000 ft)
Range 700 km (440 mi)
Power Plant two Marquardt RJ43-MA-7, 5,440 kg (12,000 lb), thrust ramjets, plus one Thiokol XM-51 22,650 kg (50,000 lb) static thrust rocket engine
Reference: (
visit link)