Description
U.S. Army Technical Manual TM 9-1430-250-12P/3/1 for Nike-Hercules Tracking Radar Equipment, December 1964
Item Overview
This vintage U.S. Army technical manual is the organizational maintenance repair-parts and special-tools list for two radar groups used with the Nike-Hercules Air Defense Guided Missile System. Issued as TM 9-1430-250-12P/3/1 in December 1964, it covers the trailer-mounted OA-1340/MPA Missile Tracking Antenna-Receiver-Transmitter Group and OA-1487/MPA Target Tracking Antenna-Receiver-Transmitter Group. These units formed part of the Radar Course Directing Central, or RCDC, that guided Nike-Hercules missiles toward their targets. This listing is for the technical manual only. It does not include a radar, antenna, receiver-transmitter, trailer, tracking station, computer, missile, launcher, or other equipment.
Publication Details
The “12P” suffix identifies this publication as an organizational maintenance repair-parts and special-tools list. The “3/1” designation identifies it as the text and parts-list volume for the covered tracking-radar groups. Illustrations were issued separately as TM 9-1430-250-12P/3/2 and are not included unless specifically noted.
- Manual number: TM 9-1430-250-12P/3/1
- Publication date: December 1964
- System: Nike-Hercules Air Defense Guided Missile System
- Equipment section: Radar Course Directing Central
- Manual type: Organizational maintenance repair-parts and special-tools list
- Missile-tracking equipment: OA-1340/MPA
- Target-tracking equipment: OA-1487/MPA
- Equipment configuration: Trailer mounted
- Companion illustration volume: TM 9-1430-250-12P/3/2
- Issuing authority: Headquarters, Department of the Army
- Country of origin: United States
- Item included: Technical manual only
Manual Coverage
This manual was prepared for Army personnel responsible for maintaining Nike-Hercules tracking-radar equipment at the organizational level. Its parts information helped maintenance and supply personnel identify, order, replace, and account for authorized components. Coverage may include part descriptions, stock or reference numbers, quantities, maintenance codes, special tools, and related supply information. This is primarily a repair-parts reference and is not a complete operator’s guide, radar-theory manual, or higher-level depot repair manual.
Radar Equipment Covered
The manual supports two major radar groups within the Nike-Hercules fire-control network. Each group combined an antenna with receiving, transmitting, positioning, and support equipment installed on a trailer-mounted platform.
- OA-1340/MPA Missile Tracking Group: Followed the Nike-Hercules missile during flight and received tracking information from its beacon or transponder.
- OA-1487/MPA Target Tracking Group: Followed the selected aircraft or other aerial target and supplied accurate target-position data to the fire-control system.
- Radar Course Directing Central: Combined tracking-radar information with the director station and ground-based computer used to calculate an intercept.
- Supporting hardware: Included antenna supports, receiver-transmitter equipment, drive components, electrical parts, protective equipment, and trailer-mounted assemblies.
How the Tracking Radar System Worked
The Nike-Hercules used command guidance rather than a guidance seeker carried in the missile’s nose. The target-tracking radar followed the hostile aircraft while the missile-tracking radar followed the missile. Both sets of information were sent to a ground-based computer, which compared their positions and calculated the course needed for an intercept. Steering commands were then transmitted from the ground to the missile. This process continued during flight, making accurate radar tracking and dependable receiver-transmitter equipment essential to the complete weapon system.
Nike-Hercules Weapon-System History
The U.S. Army began developing Nike-Hercules in 1953 as a more powerful successor to the Nike-Ajax surface-to-air missile. Western Electric served as the primary contractor, Bell Telephone Laboratories developed the guidance equipment, and Douglas Aircraft produced the missile airframe. Nike-Hercules entered service in 1958 and offered greater range, altitude, speed, and destructive power than Nike-Ajax. It could carry either a high-explosive fragmentation warhead or a nuclear warhead and used radar with an electronic computer for command guidance. The Improved Nike-Hercules program added better tracking equipment and a separate target-ranging radar to increase resistance to enemy electronic countermeasures.
History of Use
Nike-Hercules batteries protected major American cities, industrial regions, military facilities, and Strategic Air Command bases during the Cold War. The Army ultimately deployed 145 batteries, including both newly built sites and former Nike-Ajax positions converted for the larger missile. Radar crews maintained constant readiness, conducted tracking exercises, and supported live-fire training to prove that each site could detect, follow, and engage a target. In June 1960, a Nike-Hercules missile intercepted a Corporal missile during testing, demonstrating the system’s ability to engage a ballistic target. Most continental U.S. sites closed during the 1970s, while batteries in Alaska and Florida remained active later in the decade. Allied nations continued using Nike-Hercules after it left U.S. service.
Historical Importance of This Manual
The December 1964 publication date places this manual near the height of Nike-Hercules deployment and during the fielding of Improved Hercules equipment. Repair-parts manuals were an important part of the Army supply system because radar batteries depended on many electronic, mechanical, and electrical components. This publication records the maintenance structure that helped keep the target- and missile-tracking radars ready for immediate operation.
Collector and Research Value
TM 9-1430-250-12P/3/1 is a specialized reference for studying Nike-Hercules radar technology, Cold War air defense, Army electronics, and military supply practices. Its exact coverage of the OA-1340/MPA and OA-1487/MPA makes it useful for identifying surviving radar parts and understanding the equipment used at an Integrated Fire Control site. It is also a valuable addition to museum, restoration, and military-technical-manual collections.
Condition
This vintage military technical manual may show cover wear, edge wear, folds, yellowing, stains, writing, military stamps, punched holes, loose pages, or other signs of age, handling, and storage. Printing details and condition may vary between available copies.
Ideal For
This technical manual is well suited for collections, research projects, restorations, and displays related to Cold War guided missiles and military radar equipment.
- U.S. Army technical-manual collections
- Nike-Hercules missile-system research
- OA-1340/MPA missile-tracking radar research
- OA-1487/MPA target-tracking radar research
- Cold War air-defense exhibits
- Military electronics and radar collections
- Nike missile-site restoration projects
- Museum and archival collections
Approx length 8", Approx width 10", Approx height .25", Approx weight .5lbs.
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