Cold War Military Science U.S. and NATO Missile Development Manuals and Publications Documenting Early Guidance Systems 1958 to 1959

Early Computers

Archive

Department of the Air Force and related publications on guided missiles issued between 1958 and 1959 document the technical, strategic, and institutional development of missile systems during the Cold War arms race, including coordination between U.S. military training programs and NATO aligned industrial production. Produced for both instructional and public facing contexts, these works establish missile technology as a central component of military doctrine, combining engineering principles with battlefield application and geopolitical strategy. The archive supports research into Cold War science, aerospace engineering, military training, and the integration of civilian industry within defense systems.

Department of the Air Force. Guided Missiles Fundamentals (AFM 52-31). Washington, D.C.: Department of the Air Force, 1958; Department of the Air Force, U.S. Air Reserve. General Training: Missiles (SSM). Maxwell Air Force Base, AL: Air University, 1959; Missiles and Rockets. New York: American Aviation Publications, June 15, 1959 issue. Three volumes totaling 575, 28, and 58 pages respectively, illustrated with diagrams and black and white photographs, in original vinyl and paper wraps. The General Training booklet defines surface to surface missiles as ranging from “a small solid propellant antitank bazooka weapon… to intercontinental ballistic missiles… capable of reaching targets 3,000 to 5,000 miles away,” and traces the origins of rocketry from ancient China through twentieth century experimentation, noting that missile development advanced under figures including Wernher von Braun. Systems discussed include Redstone, Jupiter, and Atlas missiles. The Missiles and Rockets issue features coverage of Nike Hercules missile deployments in Taiwan, NATO systems such as the British Bloodhound missile, and articles linking telecommunications automation to missile guidance and radar systems. Guided Missiles Fundamentals provides detailed classifications of guidance systems as active, passive, and preset, with diagrams illustrating control components, trajectory systems, and electronic coordination, including descriptions of guidance processes operating at “microsecond intervals.”

These publications were produced at a time when missile systems and space technology were rapidly advancing in response to geopolitical competition with the Soviet Union, and they reflect the integration of scientific research, military training, and industrial production within Cold War defense infrastructure. The materials demonstrate how technical knowledge was standardized and disseminated across military personnel while also being communicated to broader audiences through trade publications that linked defense innovation to industry. The emphasis on guidance systems, propulsion, and deployment strategies illustrates the centrality of missile technology in deterrence and warfare planning during this period. Bindings secure with interiors clean; minor chipping to wraps of Missiles and Rockets and light rust to staples of the training booklet; overall very good condition.

Item #22328

Price: $750.00