Rascal
An EARLY CRUISE MISSILE
Explosive Power
1.9 Megatons
Hiroshima Equivalent Factor
127x
Dimensions
31 ft., 11.5 inches x 4 ft.
Weight
13,500 lbs.
Range
113 miles, Mach 1.5
Year(s)
1952, canceled before deployment
Purpose
A plane-launched “stand-off” missile
About THE RASCAL
Forthcoming…
Gallery
Nukemap
NUKEMAP is a web-based mapping program that attempts to give the user a sense of the destructive power of nuclear weapons. It was created by Alex Wellerstein, a historian specializing in nuclear weapons (see his book on nuclear secrecy and his blog on nuclear weapons). The screenshot below shows the NUKEMAP output for this particular weapon. Click on the map to customize settings.
Videos
Click on the Play button and then the Full screen brackets on the lower right to view each video. Click on the Exit full screen cross at lower right (the “X” on a mobile device) to return.
Further Reading
- Wikipedia, Designation Systems, Global Security
- The Black Vault has a list of links to historical documents related to the development of the Rascal.
- Among the Black Vault’s links, this one is worth calling out: “The History of the Rascal Weapons System 1952–1958.”
- Joe Baugher has a summary history of the Rascal, which may be more readable than other efforts.