Weapons
Development Progress
Appearance of Missile Contrails at Low Temperatures Modern missiles use reduced-smoke solid-fuel rocket motors, as well as liquid-fuel motors. However, these cease to be “low-smoke” at altitude due to the drop in air temperature. The exhaust of solid-fuel missiles, such as the AMRAAM’s HTPB/AP fuel, contains Hydrogen Chloride HCl, which at low temperatures forms crystal hydrates that generate a dense contrail. The exhaust of liquid-fuel missiles contains water vapor, which also generates a dense contrail in cold air. In winter, a contrail can appear even at low altitudes. At Arctic temperatures, the contrail may appear even at ground level.


Marianas 1944
Development Progress

- Battle of Saipan (15 June – 9 July 1944)
- Battle of Guam (21 July – 10 August 1944)
- Battle of Tinian (24 July – 1 August 1944)

- Today: It is one of the largest U.S. military bases in the Pacific, and it includes expansive naval and air force installations that cover much of the island.
- WWII Era: Small towns, villages, and relatively little infrastructure.

- Today: Sparsely populated and far removed from its former prominence in global history.
- WWII Era: An agricultural hub in the summer of 1944, it was later transformed into a crucial military staging area during the final stages of the war, including B-29 bombing missions over Japan.

- Today: A popular destination with golf courses, resort areas, and recreational facilities, it reflects a strong tourism industry.
- WWII Era: Dominated by plantations and small-scale settlements.
- WWII Era & Today: Rota remains one of the lesser-developed islands in the chain, with minimal changes over the decades. Rota offers a quieter pace of life in the Marianas.
- Today: Largely uninhabited since a volcanic eruption in the 1980s, it is mostly untouched by modern development.
- WWII Era: Home to a local population and Japanese military presence.
Q&A
by Matt Wagner
