1/35 Transporter - Hypersonic Cruise missile carrier

[Frank3k]

I was going to pick something else to build, but Felix the cat (who insists on visiting the model closet daily):



spent more than a few seconds sniffing at the Revell 1/40 Corporal Missile with Transporter. So I decided that it was going to be the next build. I also saw the old NATO MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System which has been parted out and was a sad sight sitting in its very large box.

The ancient Revell kit dates from 1955 and has moving parts. For a kit this old, the level and quality of the details is pretty good, with only some flash (but on all the parts...).

The first thing I did was to pronounce it 1/35 scale (some boxings have listed it as 1/35 - it's definitely 1/40). I didn't like the molded in mesh on the sides of the engine compartment, so I replaced them with plastic sheet.

I'm using the MRLS crew cabin instead of the funky cabanas on the original kit. The MRLS crew cabin is a bit wider than the transporter - and already started - so the fist step was to unglue everything (I used some of the fast acting Tamiya glue).  I then cut the roof and the front (with the windows) in half and shorted them by a few mm. The sides (with the doors) were shortened slightly. The rest of the cabin is made with plastic sheet and a diamond grid floor:





There's a PE mesh inside the engine/battery compartment that does a good job of hiding the void within.

This is where I was earlier today:



It's been a fun project so far - lots of plastic surgery, but the basic kit fits well and everything is falling together as planned. I'm not sure what I'll use for a payload. The crew cabin blocks the space for the original Corporal missile's nose, so I can modify the Corporal to fit. I also have the Takom DF-17 Chinese hypersonic missile - which I plan to modify into a US (or NATO) ballistic hypersonic missile anyway. Another option is to use the ICM KUNG shelter, or use it as a reference to make a westernized version.

I was also thinking of some sort of support vehicle,  like this CALTEX oil field service truck build over at Modellversium that caught my eye.

[raafif]

The slightly offset cabin looks just right 

[Ramba]

Coming along nicely. Looking forward to seeing what the payload is.

[Frank3k]

Thanks, guys. The new cab really improves the look of the vehicle. The missile carrier/erector may need way more work than expected.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

The ancient Revell kit dates from 1955 and has moving parts. For a kit this old, the level and quality of the details is pretty good, with only some flash (but on all the parts...).

  I can relate to that description all too well.  The joy of old models being released again with flash almost as thick as the parts makes you question your purchasing decisions. 

Let the creative juices flow!  Looking good with the modified cab and I can not help but imagine that vehicle with a 155mm gun/howitzer type cannon mounted on it like the Swedish Archer built by Bofors and French CAESAR built by GIAT. 

Felix is a very handsome critter. 

[Frank3k]

Jeff - I thought about a gun, but I don't have one that'll fit. I finished the missile launch tower and it's a blank canvas for detailing/hiding the lack of detailing on some parts. I tried the KUNG shelter - which is a pretty simple but nice kit in itself - but it's a bit small for the carrier. The DF-17 hypersonic missile is too long with its booster, but I've cut down the Corporal to fit. There was actually a Private missile that CalTech built that led to the Corporal, but I'm not going to call it that...

I'm leaning towards a medium range hypersonic launcher with the DF-17 (or a NATO version) piggybacking on the shortened booster. I may also print some detailing for the transporter - fire extinguishers, lights, cabin equipment, etc.

Felix looked like a bat when he was a kitten and had some health issues that had us worried, but he grew into his paws and out of his heath issues and he's a very vocal, large and smart 14 lb cat. Right now he's standing in front of the model closet waiting for his daily inspection...

[Buzzbomb]

Whatever you do, I am watching on

[Frank3k]

Here's the current state of this project, pretty much held together by tape, gravity or blu-tac. Full transporter, with hypersonic cruise missile launcher:



The two side boosters are plastic knitting needles that my wife gave me. The nozzles are from the ancient AMT 1/200 US launcher set. I cut down the main DF-17 booster to fit on the carrier.

I'm not completely done westernizing the DF-17, but I added some fins and a scramjet engine:



Here's a top secret view of the scramjet intake:



A real hypersonic cruise missile would ship and launch from a box:



But whats the fun in that?

Still need to add more fins to the cruise missile, interstage adapter and main booster. plus do all the other fun stuff.

[LemonJello]

Inspiring!

I am sloooooowwwlly collecting parts and donor kits to make a version of the Hard Mobile Launcher (probably the wheeled version).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Mobile_Launcher

I will be looking forward to progress reports on this build.

[Gingie]

^ I was today years old when I first learned about the HML. Thanks!!

[GTX_Admin]

Inspiring!

I am sloooooowwwlly collecting parts and donor kits to make a version of the Hard Mobile Launcher (probably the wheeled version).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Mobile_Launcher

I will be looking forward to progress reports on this build.

 

[Dr. YoKai]

I think I had heard of the Hard Mobile launcher, but it has been a while...the tractor on those look a lot like the regular Minuteman transports that I would see very occasionally in my youth in North Dakota.

The progress so for looks pretty neat, Frank. I don't blame you for dropping the box-what's the point of Hypersonic if it ain't struttin'?
I would be tempted to go all Gerry Anderson and put the secondary boosters on stub wings, but it'll look good as is. Giving it the classic
Mace/Matador red-orange finish might be cool too..

[Frank3k]

^ I was today years old when I first learned about the HML. Thanks!!

Same here! It looks like it would be a good companion to the Damnation Alley Landmaster.

Craig - I like the X-51 Waverider intake, so I made a bigger version. No point in hiding it!

I worked on the cabin today, watching old SF movies on Youtube while some contractors sanded and repainted the railing on our patio deck. All in all, a good day.

[Story]

1) Holy Crap.

2) I miss Spooky, my Halloween familiar.

3) Holy Crap.

4) I've got one of those Revell CORPORALs new-in-wrap. Someone wants it, PM me and we'll make a deal-deal.

5) Holy Crap.

[Frank3k]

I used online images of an M270 crew cabin for color and detail references, The apple green color is a bi too vivid compared to the real thing, but this isn't an M270, so that's OK.

I replaced the plain styrene back wall with the original wall, with most of the equipment shelves. I added some cabling with wire wrap wire and a bit of sprue. The box on the right side is from the Eastern Express (and others) T-18 tank. It's almost unbuildable, but good for parts:



The rails on the floor were just to add some visual interest. I thought the seats would be able to move back and forth, but this as before I added the shelving.  I still have more equipment and cabling to add.

The front is a little busier. I used decals (from a modern soviet aircraft set). The 24" monitor is from my GAZ 39371 Vodnik pickup. It's a less than perfect print (I made many monitors) but should work here. The louvered round objects behind the two main instrument panels are Gundam add-on parts and are supposed to be vents, Everything is a little cramped since I narrowed the cabin by about 5 mm.

[Old Wombat]

 

[Frank3k]

I have most of the construction and first layers of painting done. First, the crew cabin. The steering yoke is upside down - I'll fix it when I open the doors. The image on the 24" monitor is just a decal I found on the web:



Back wall of the cabin has an Easter egg: a NAFO Fella:



The missile support has to be modified - right now it's just resting on the carrier:



The hypersonic missile itself is in Vallejo metallic colors. i used light aluminum with a drop of yellow ink for the whitish nose section.

I moved the extra fins back a bit. The engine section has a blue tint that isn't obvious in this picture:



Top view:



None of the paint is final and some of the missile colors may change/be enhanced, especially when I start weathering,

Miss Emma insisted that she needed to "help":

[Old Wombat]

Miss Emma has those "What? Me?" eyes, that tell you she's been caught out doing something she knows she shouldn't.

[Story]

[Frank3k]

I'd just asked Emma if she wanted to go downstairs and get some treats, so it's more "Really!!! Wait a sec while I use the back of your chair as a scratching post"

[Story]

So is the endstate of this potpourri a Chinese or American or someone else's system?

[Frank3k]

All American hypersonic. I still need to add the boosters.

[Ramba]

Great job on the modified DF-17. Looking forward to seeing it done.

[Frank3k]

I finished the launcher and hypersonic missile. The decals and flat coat had issues, but otherwise it came out OK.

French guy for scale:



I added a nozzle to the central solid fuel core, made from the Apollo lunar module adapter from the old AMT 1/200 US manned rockets set. The nozzles were painted with Vallejo aluminum tinted with some yellow ink



Getting ready to launch:





There's a support base/blast deflector for the original Corporal missile, but I didn't add it. There's probably some support or mechanism to raise the missile slightly and lower the nose clamp to give the missile some clearance on launch.

Thanks for following along!

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Looking good Frank!  The booster is just the right proportion to the missile to not challenge it for size.  Looks like all you need now is the guy holding the match to light the very long ignition fuze.

[Frank3k]

Thanks, Jeff
 I can imagine some guy standing under the ready to launch missile, holding a pad with a big red button that says "Launch" "OK, Sarge! Looks good! Should I press the button?"

In operation, I think all three solid fuel boosters would fire at once, to get the missile to the altitudes and speeds it would need to start the scramjet. The side boosters would drop off and eventually so would the main core. The lighter green adapter section would have some fuel for the scramjet  - depending on the mission, it might just glide for a while or ignite the engine and blast into the target. The missile itself would have some fuel; you don't need much of a warhead if you're going between Mach 5 and Mach 10.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Phun with Physics and the kinetic energy transfer between solid materials

[finsrin]

Great job on the build.   
Couple those Revell 1/40s in stash.  Figure to build as 1/72.  Carrying airplane or missile.

[Frank3k]

At 1/72 it would be similar to the Terracruzer. At 1/35, the cabin level is very high - you would need a ladder to climb up in 1/72

[finsrin]

Regarding cabin:  MLRS cabin integration is seamless.  Looks OOB.  Got me to study whole build carefully.  Passes as all modern vehicle with convincing missile.

As 1/72 would cut cab heights down and yes add ladders.  Could be first US mobile missile launcher.  Carries a Loon ?    Or ?
Peaked my interest.  Have to go stash digging to find kit.

[LemonJello]

Job well done!

[Frank3k]

Thanks, guys. Bill - you could use a 1/48 D-21 drone as the missile, or modify an SR-71. I had to narrow down the MLRS cabin, but in 1/72 scale it would be easier to just scratch build the cabin out of styrene, or modify the existing gondola cabins.

[raafif]

Nifty Atomic Alert siren in top left of pic !

Why cut down the cab for 1/72nd scale ?  Make it a 2 level cab - tracking radar upstairs

[Frank3k]

The nifty "Atomic Alert" is the wireless, solar powered weather station I built.

This is from tonight The data gets uploaded to a web page every 2 minutes. LiPoC and LiPoV are the battery capacity and voltage. It can run about two days without sunlight charging the batteries.

[Story]

What a delightfully simple arrangement, compared to the original.

[Frank3k]

From the Wikipedia article on the MGM-5 Corporal: "A Corporal battalion was composed of 250 men requiring 35 vehicles to deploy and took nine hours to set up the missile to fire once the launch position had been reached."

"No rush! The Russkies are having problems with their T-55s and their drunk troops. Nuke'em when you're ready. Or any time this week, really"

[Buzzbomb]

All round great work. The single trailer beam is a nice touch as a point of difference.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

From the Wikipedia article on the MGM-5 Corporal: "A Corporal battalion was composed of 250 men requiring 35 vehicles to deploy and took nine hours to set up the missile to fire once the launch position had been reached."

"No rush! The Russkies are having problems with their T-55s and their drunk troops. Nuke'em when you're ready. Or any time this week, really"

The organization and operation of the Corporal SSM system was not much different from the first generation SCUD SSM in use by Russian/Warsaw Pact SSM units.  Both required a lot of long arduous tasks in assembly and check-out to include the specific support vehicles and temporary/portable shelters to cover the missiles during assembly and check-out prior to issue to the firing battery.  All of that required a lot of real estate to hide in to preclude being wiped out in one strike. 

[Gingie]

Frank - would you be able to measure the length of the launch rail for me? Cheers!

[Frank3k]

Gingie - the rail length between the clamps is about 180mm (+/- 2mm) (Elevating boom support in the instructions)

The boom support slides onto the boom rails (with the side ladders). It's 240mm ( +/- 5mm) long from the gear to the tip.

@Jeff - the SCUD and Corporal were basically V-2s. The support system even looks like the typical V-2 support.

[ChernayaAkula]

<...>
Back wall of the cabin has an Easter egg: a NAFO Fella:


<...>

OMG! It's the Hyperbonker 9000! 

Nice work! 

[Gingie]

Gingie - the rail length between the clamps is about 180mm (+/- 2mm) .

Cheers Frank! 

[Ramba]

Terrific job!