In 1944 The US Army was advancing state of the art rocketry. After WWII Wernher Von Braun and other relocated German rocket scientists were stationed at Fort Bliss Texas. The Hermes Rocket Program consisted mainly of four experimental rocket designs. The Hermes II was a captured German V2 rocket. It was modified and topped with an unusual second stage. A ramjet powered cruiser capable of carrying a 5,000 lb payload 1,500 miles. The first launch of the Hermes II (Loaded with a dummy warhead) was from White Sands, New Mexico in May 1947. Although partially successful, it veered off course and came down in a Mexican graveyard leaving a ten-foot crater. Von Braun’s team joked that they were the first Germans to infiltrate America and attack Mexico! The US Army was not amused and began the search for a new “proving ground”. They decided upon a piece of real estate known as Cape Canaveral. The lower left is a stock photo of Hermes II. All else created and textured in 3DS Max. Thanks for viewing!