The F-89 Scorpion was the first of its kind. It was designed as an all-weather interceptor, with the objective of shooting down Soviet nuclear bombers before they could reach the United States.
After many years of false starts, crashes, and redesigns, it ultimately found its true purpose – becoming the first aircraft armed with an air-to-air nuclear missile.
This weapon would leave no doubt if it came to bringing down a fleet of Soviet bombers. The Scorpion was paired with the Genie, considered the most powerful interceptor missile ever deployed by the U.S Air Force. It was built to be so effective in destroying enemy bombers, that no countermeasure could work against it.
This extraordinary weapon was only launched once during a nuclear test in U.S territory, over the heads of six men that lived to tell the story…
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