This is the U.S. Navy Sparrow 2 air-to-air missile, designed and built by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It was a highly maneuverable missile designed for U.S. Navy aircraft and was similar to the Sparrow 1, America's first operational air-to-air guided missile, but the Sparrow 2 had a more advanced guidance system.
<p>The Sparrow family of missiles originated in 1946 and became one of the largest and most important missile programs for the United States, NATO, and other U.S. allies. A branch of the Sparrow family exists today as the AIM series of missiles. 
</p><p>This missile was donated to the Smithsonian in 1959 by the U.S. Naval Missile Center.  Picture taken at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, USA.<br></p><p><b>Specifications:</b><br>
Length: 3.6 m (11 ft 9 in)<br>
Weight, loaded: 133 kg (295 lb)<br>
Range: 5-8 km (3-5 mi)<br>
Thrust: 34,700 N (7,800 lb)<br>
Propellant: solid fuel<br>
Material: Aluminum and steel; fiberglass nosecone<br></p>
Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Co.
<a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Sanjay_ach" title="User:Sanjay ach">Sanjay Acharya</a>
CC BY-SA 4.0
<span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>