Genie

A Genie that grants only a single wish

At first glance, Genie rockets can be confused with fuel tanks. In this image are two Genies, one attached to an aircraft and one still on its loading cart. Note the Genie on the left has a dark band across the middle which indicates it is a training unit. These rockets are at the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton.

This unit at the Atomic Museum in Las Vegas seems far too big for the case it is displayed in. However, its vertical orientation, which you can easily compare it to your own size, allows you to recognize smallness of the rocket.

The warhead for the Genie was the W25. It was famously tested during the Operation Plumbbob John shot but also was tested at least three other times, during Teapot Wasp, Wasp Prime, and HA. Thsi Genie at the Castle Air Museum in Atwater, California.

Despite being an interim solution to defending against Soviet long-range bombers, over three thousand Genies were produced and they were deployed until 1985. At Castle Air Museum, Atwater, California.

Nuclear weapons can be much smaller than people may think. In 2024 a man found one in a garage of things that he had inherited, although it was missing the entire front and posed no danger whatever. This unit is at the Castle Air Museum in Atwater, California.

Many of the surviving Genies, such as this one at the Pam Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona, have the emblem of the 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. The emblem is deep red and easy to spot in color images or in person (look for the red bull if the text is worn.). Unexpectedly, the unit was based in upper Michigan.

The Genie is not a powerful nuclear weapon, as nuclear weapons go, with the Plumbbob John test only a tenth of the power of Little Boy. The primary reason for this was the need for the pilot to avoid the explosion and its radiation. A bigger explosion would have required the plane to launch the rocket from farther away and, being unguided, accuracy would have suffered. This image made at the White Sands Missile Range's rocket garden, in New Mexico. — The Genie is not a powerful nuclear weapon, as nuclear weapons go, with the Plumbbob John test only a tenth of the power of Little Boy. The primary reason for this was the need for the pilot to avoid the explosion and its radiation. A bigger explosion would have required the plane to launch the rocket from farther away and, being unguided, accuracy would have suffered. This image made at the White Sands Missile Range’s rocket garden, in New Mexico.

In the hot sun and dry environment of the Arizona desert few paint jobs will survive for long. I find these old paint patterns fascinating and I made many close-up images of them whenever I could. This unit is located at the Pima Air and Space Museum, near Tucson.

For another "sub-project" of my effort to photograph nuclear weapons, I photographed their shadows. This shadow was briefly at the White Sands Missile Range's rocket garden, just inside the fortified gates, in New Mexico. — For another “sub-project” of my effort to photograph nuclear weapons, I photographed their shadows. This shadow was briefly at the White Sands Missile Range’s rocket garden, just inside the fortified gates, in New Mexico.

I grew up in Akron, Ohio and didn't know there was an aerospace museum nearby. When I arrived I saw this weapon--this was before I could spot a Genie a hundred yards off--and the docents told me that there were no nuclear weapons in their collection. I googled and then photographed. Most aerospace museum docents come from the "flying" side of the Air Force and don't have a strong background in nuclear weapons. Image made at the MAPS Air Museum, in Canton, Ohio. — I grew up in Akron, Ohio and didn’t know there was an aerospace museum nearby. When I arrived I saw this weapon–this was before I could spot a Genie a hundred yards off–and the docents told me that there were no nuclear weapons in their collection. I googled and then photographed. Most aerospace museum docents come from the “flying” side of the Air Force and don’t have a strong background in nuclear weapons. Image made at the MAPS Air Museum, in Canton, Ohio.

It is unusual, for some reason, to see the Genie's tail fins fully extended, unlike with this display at the Nuclear Museum in Albuquerque. I don't know why. In flight the fins would extend about the time the rocket reached Mach 1.5, helping to keep it on target for its short flight. — It is unusual, for some reason, to see the Genie’s tail fins fully extended, unlike with this display at the Nuclear Museum in Albuquerque. I don’t know why. In flight the fins would extend about the time the rocket reached Mach 1.5, helping to keep it on target for its short flight.

Two Genie's loaded onto a F101B VooDoo interceptor, on display at the National Museum of the US Air Force, in Dayton. Aside from the VooDoo the Genie could be carried by the F-106 Delta Dart and the F-89 Scorpion. As these plane's aged out of the Air Force inventory the Genies, already old, were less and less useful. — Two Genie’s loaded onto a F101B VooDoo interceptor, on display at the National Museum of the US Air Force, in Dayton. Aside from the VooDoo the Genie could be carried by the F-106 Delta Dart and the F-89 Scorpion. As these plane’s aged out of the Air Force inventory the Genies, already old, were less and less useful.

The Genie was rushed into service in fear of rapidly increasing Soviet bomber capabilities. The original units were said to have few, if any, safety mechanisms. This Genie stands along the upper level of the Air Force Armaments Museum, just outside of Elgin Air Force Base, in Florida's Panhandle. When I was there it sounded like a mini war was underway, just to the north, somewhere on the base. — The Genie was rushed into service in fear of rapidly increasing Soviet bomber capabilities. The original units were said to have few, if any, safety mechanisms. This Genie stands along the upper level of the Air Force Armaments Museum, just outside of Elgin Air Force Base, in Florida’s Panhandle. When I was there it sounded like a mini war was underway, just to the north, somewhere on the base.

The Genie is conspicuous on the Air Force Armaments Museum's wall of air-to-air missile development. — The Genie is conspicuous on the Air Force Armaments Museum’s wall of air-to-air missile development.

The exact plane that launched the Genie during the nuclear test still exists and is part of the Montana Air National Guard's historic display, adjacent to the Great Falls International Airport, in Montana. — The exact plane that launched the Genie during the nuclear test still exists and is part of the Montana Air National Guard’s historic display, adjacent to the Great Falls International Airport, in Montana.

The pilot of this plane, which fire the only live test of a nuclear air-to-air missile, was Captain Eric W. Hutchison, along with Captain Alfred C. Barbee, who was the radar Intercept Officer. It is not known whether, in their evasive maneuvers, whether they looked back and saw the explosion or the resulting cloud. A chase plane was also present and additional planes flew into the nuclear cloud shortly after the explosion to make measurements. This photograph was made adjacent to the exit from Great Falls International Airport, in Montana.

As the Soviet bombers were required to come from the north in order to attack the United States, the Canadian Air Force also fielded significant numbers of Genie rockets. This is another image of the Operation Plumbbob F-89 Scorpion with its two Genies, photographed next to the Great Falls International Airport, in Montana.

A training version of the Genie (indicated by the dark paint on its body) at the Museum of Aviation at Robbins AFB, near Macon, Georgia.

A good view of the assembly screws and ports on this Genie at the Hill Aerospace Museum, south of Ogden, Utah.

A training version of the Genie--identified by the sky-blue bland across the middle section of the rocket--at the Travis AFB Aviation Museum, near Vacaville, California. — A training version of the Genie–identified by the sky-blue bland across the middle section of the rocket–at the Travis AFB Aviation Museum, near Vacaville, California.

A tiny model Genie stands erect in front of an array of other nuclear weapons--a Nike-Hercules on the left, the Mark 7 Mark 43 bombs, and the Rascal missile behind it. Located at the Travis AFB Aviation Museum in Vacaville, California. — A tiny model Genie stands erect in front of an array of other nuclear weapons–a Nike-Hercules on the left, the Mark 7 Mark 43 bombs, and the Rascal missile behind it. Located at the Travis AFB Aviation Museum in Vacaville, California.

Weapon Specifications

Note that the relationship between explosive power and destruction is not linear—a weapon’s destructive effects grow far more slowly than its explosive power.

Explosive Power

1.5 kt (W25)

Hiroshima Equivalent Factor

One tenth

Dimensions

9 ft. 8 inches x 17.5 inches

Weight

822 lbs.

Year(s)

1957-1985

Range

6 miles

Purpose

Air-to-Air, stop Soviet nuclear bombers

NukeMap

Simulated destruction of a Genie above Santa Rosa, California. Click on the map to change parameters.

Videos

These curated videos provide additional context for this weapon — showing test footage, deployment scenes, technical explanations, interviews, or other historical material, allowing viewers to go deeper into the weapon’s design, use, and place in nuclear history.

The MB-1 ‘Genie’ – The USAF’s Unguided Air-To-Air Nuke, 9 minutes

The Armourer’s Bench: The MB-1/AIR-2 ‘Genie’ was the world’s first nuclear-armed air-to-air weapon and remains the most powerful missile ever deployed aboard U.S. Air Force interceptors. With missile guidance systems in their infancy the unguided Genie was designed to break up and destroy incoming Soviet strategic bombers.

AIR-2 Genie Rocket: More Bang for Your Buck, 24 minutes

On Our Devices: The Douglas AIR-2 ‘Genie’ was an unguided nuclear-armed air-to-air rocket developed in the early 1950s for use against Soviet bombers, and was deployed by the USAF from 1957-1988 and the RCAF on a key-sharing basis from 1965-1983. In this episode I am joined by Lt.Col (ret) Darrell Marleau, a former RCAF CF-101 Voodoo navigator, who recounts what it was like to fire the Genie in training exercises.

Project Genie : Air-to-air rocket nuclear testing, 3 minutes

Atomic Tests Channel: Film covers aerial test firing of MB-1 Genie from an F-89J over Yucca Flats, Nevada. Shows MB-1 Genie being checked out and loaded aboard F-89J at Indian springs AFB, Nevada; and nuclear blast.

1957-07-19: Operation Plumbbob F-89 John Shot, 2:34

Tom Owens UAP: Shot John of Operation Plumbbob served to proof test the Douglas MB-1 (aka AIR-2A Genie) air-to-air rocket with 1.5 kt W25 nuclear warhead. This was a live test with an actual nuclear detonation. Five US Air Force officers volunteered to stand hatless underneath the detonation in attempt to demonstrate that the weapon was safe for use over populated areas. The photographer was George Yoshitake who should receive full credit for being REQUIRED to stand there with them. He was not a volunteer.

USAF F-89J Scorpion testing air-to-air nuclear rocket MB-1 Genie (1957), less than 1 minute

Footage of the live test of the Genie missile, shot from a companion aircraft.

AIR-2 Genie AKA Ding Dong, less than 2 minutes

jaglavaksoldier: The Douglas Genie (MB-1 Ding-Dong, AIR-2) was an unguided air-to-air rocket with a 1.5kt W25 nuclear warhead. It was deployed by the United States Air Force (USAF) (from 1957) and the Canadian Forces Air Command (from 1965 to 1984) during the Cold War.