Rocket, Practice. Air-to-Surface, 5 inch MK 39 MOD 0 HVA, "Holy Moses", Cutaway

Missile separated into three sections: the body, warhead, and fin assembly; also comes with two lengths of simulated propellant grains, black; one grain partly cutaway; each with eight-sided star patterns throughout lengths of grains. Body tube, hollow, with each end cut away to accommodate warhead, fin assembly, and propellant grains. Overall, when joined, cylindrical, with ogival, sharp pointed warhead; fin assembly with three black folding fins, each one a long rectangle, with partial cutaway at front end, showing interior of one nozzle, painted black and rest of interior of this section also painted black; two other nozzles, covered and complete, silver metal color; body tube, light blue.

This is a partial cutaway of a U.S. solid-fuel 4.5 inch (11.5 cm) unguided air-to-ground rocket of World War II. It was an outgrowth of the M-8 4.5 inch aircraft rocket, which was originally developed as collaboration of the National Defense Research Committee, Army Ordnance, and Naval Ordnance, at the Navy facility at Indian Head, Maryland in 1941. The 4.5 inch rocket was extensively used by Navy and Army Air Forces units in both Europe and the Pacific.

This version of the missile was modified or manufactured at the Naval Ordnance Test Station (NOTS) in California. Originally, the missile had four fixed fins but this version has folding fins. It was found in Smithsonian collections but was likely transferred by the U.S. Navy.