Description
Restored Inert 5-inch (127mm) Zuni Mark 16 Mod 1 Folding-Fin Aircraft Rocket Motor
Item Overview
This restored, inert Zuni Mark 16 Mod 1 rocket motor represents the propulsion section of an early U.S. Navy 5-inch aircraft rocket. The Zuni was an unguided weapon developed for fighter and attack aircraft. Its separate motor, warhead, and fuze allowed the original service system to support several missions. This motor is intended for collection and display.
Identification and Features
- Nominal caliber: 5-inch (127mm)
- Motor designation: Mark 16 Mod 1, also written Mk 16 Mod 1
- Rocket family: Zuni
- FFAR meaning: Folding-Fin Aircraft Rocket
- Component type: Rocket motor
- Original propulsion type: Solid-propellant rocket motor
- Documented launcher: LAU-10/A four-round rocket launcher
- Status: Inert
- Condition: Restored
How It Worked
The Mark 16 Mod 1 used a solid-propellant charge inside an aluminum-alloy motor tube. Burning propellant produced gases that escaped through the rear nozzle to drive the rocket forward. Four folding fins opened after the rocket cleared its launcher and stabilized its flight. The motor supplied propulsion, while a separate rocket head carried the payload.
Weapon Applications
The Navy’s Zuni manual documents the Mark 16 Mod 1 motor with the LAU-10/A launcher, which carried four rockets beneath an aircraft. Documented aircraft users of the Zuni family included the A-4 Skyhawk, F-4 Phantom II, and F-8 Crusader. These aircraft employed Zuni rockets for attacks on ground targets, including close air support during the Vietnam War.
Historical Background
Zuni was developed at the Naval Ordnance Test Station at China Lake, California, for the Navy’s Bureau of Ordnance. The Navy announced its approval for fleet use in 1957 as a replacement for the World War II-era 5-inch High Velocity Aircraft Rocket. Folding fins allowed multiple rockets to fit inside compact launchers suited to high-performance aircraft. The Mark 16 Mod 1 is specifically described in the Navy’s December 1960 Zuni manual, placing this motor design within the system’s early service history.
Condition
This is a restored, inert rocket motor. Please check the pictures for the general condition of the item.
Ideal For
This motor suits collections and educational exhibits covering naval aviation and aircraft rocket development.
- Zuni rocket and aircraft ordnance collections
- U.S. Navy aviation displays
- Vietnam War aircraft armament exhibits
- Rocket propulsion history studies
- Military museums and educational collections
Approx length 60", Approx width 5", Approx height 5", Approx weight 50lbs.
Pictures are stock images of our inventory. Unless otherwise noted, you will not be receiving the exact item shown in the pictures. The pictures are representative of the item’s general condition. The item you receive might be slightly better, or worse, condition than was shown in the pictures.
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