Bumper-Wac rocket

History:

Bumper-Wac rocket

Bumper BU-7 after recuperation

Bumper BU-8 before launch

Bumper BU-8 launch

Cape Canaveral A4/V2 Bumper launches:

• Only two Bumper V-2's were ever launched from the Joint Long-Range Proving Grond (JLRPG) or as referred to today as Cape Canaveral.
• The first bumper V-2 to be launched was B-8 due to moisture problems with B-7. JLRPG combated the moisture problems by adding silicone grease to vulnerable points and reversing the loading sequence by loading the liquid oxygen after loading the hydrogen peroxide. This seem to work well for both of the launches. B-8 was successfully fired on July 23, 1950 and B-7 was successfully fired on July 29, 1950. Bumper 7 attained a speed of Mach 9, the highest sustained speed that had ever been reached in the Earth's atmosphere. The main point of study with these flights was that of staging.
• A discussion of the results of these launches are loacated in the Patrick Air Force Base, Long-Range Proving Ground Division, Technical Report No. 1, "Bumper Missiles 7 and 8," Sept 29, 1950.

Technical Data:

Launch List: