The IGOR ("eye-gore") is a tracking telescope designed to provide photographic
records of missile performance, such as attitude, intercept miss-distance, and
other events data. With its long focal length lens, the IGOR could photograph
missiles up to 100 miles away.
The IGOR (Intercept Ground Optical Recorder) consists of a telescope optical
system, a high-speed movie camera, sighting telescopes, and the instrument
mount. The mount is a modified U.S. Navy 5-inch/25 Mark 19 Navy gun mount
adapted to hold the telescope. Two trackers sit on opposite sides of the mount
and move the telescope and camera in azimuth (side to side) and elevation (up
and down).
Designed and built by the Army’s Ballistic Research Laboratory (BRL) in
Aberdeen, Maryland, using an optical system specified by Clyde Tombaugh, the
first IGOR was installed at WSMR in October 1951. It was first used to track an
Army Corporal missile on 6 December 1951. On display here is model number two,
installed in late 1951. It was followed by eight more IGORs emplaced around
WSMR. These tracking telescopes were used extensively through 1965.
In 1952, the crew of this IGOR No. 2 took a photograph of the first Armed
Live Warhead Intercept
a B-17 bomber by a Nike Ajax missile.
Their photograph won the Ernie Pyle Award for outstanding still photo in support
of national security.
