M50 Ontos Ideas and Inspiration

[GTX_Admin]

How about replacing the RRs with Hueycobra-style Quad TOWs, with armoured shields around them?

What about simply replacing the RRs with TOW tones on a one for one basis rather then the quad packs?

[Jeffry Fontaine]

How about replacing the RRs with Hueycobra-style Quad TOWs, with armoured shields around them?

What about simply replacing the RRs with TOW tones on a one for one basis rather then the quad packs?

For such a small vehicle it might be practical to consider a single launcher system such as that used on the early M274 Mule, M113, M151 MUTT, and eventually the HMMWV.  At least there would be enough space for several missile containers plus the crew and fire control electronics. 

That concept could be easily modeled considering the plethora of HMMWV and M151 MUTT kits that came with the TOW parts for the missile armed versions. 

[GTX_Admin]

That is a possible (and quite possibly more practical) but it kind of looses that special look the Ontos has.

I would think that you would have the same guidance unit in the centre and just the launch tubes on the sides.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

That is a possible (and quite possibly more practical) but it kind of looses that special look the Ontos has.

I would think that you would have the same guidance unit in the centre and just the launch tubes on the sides.

Depends on the level of fiction you want to apply to the project.  My interpretation is a bit conservative due to having some idea of just how small the vehicle is and how much can be placed inside of it.  The one advantage to the single launcher mounted on top in the mount that comes with several of the HMMWV kits is that you now have a lot of open space along the side of the vehicle that had been previously cluttered up with the recoilless rifles so storage/stowage along the sides of the vehicle would certainly provide room for a lot of items and still leave you with room inside for six or seven missile canisters plus the crew.  When you consider what the BundesWehr did with that little Waffenträger Weasel and adapting the TOW system to it the Ontos would be an even better candidate.  Now you have me thinking about acquiring a couple of M50 Ontos kits just to see if the TOW system will fit without too much effort.






***Edit to remove dead html -- jjf

[GTX_Admin]

Squadron Mail Order has the Academy M50 Ontos on sale at the moment for almost half-price

They are often even cheaper than that on eBay...

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Squadron Mail Order has the Academy M50 Ontos on sale at the moment for almost half-price

They are often even cheaper than that on eBay...

I don't do eBay so it is Skyway Models, Squadron, or Sprue Brothers as the source.  That being said, now that Squadron has delivered the pair of Academy M50 Ontos kits it is time to get the parts from the HMMWV TOW vehicle and see if they just drop right in or if some cutting needs to be performed to make it fit.  Bummer that the Academy Ontos kit does not have an interior but that is a minor bump in the road of progress.  It is certainly much nicer than the old Renwal Ontos and definitely much cheaper than the resin interpretations from Nimex or HobbyFan. 

******Update******

I did a quick assessment of to see if the HMMWV TOW launcher and mount would fit on the Ontos.  It fits without any issue.  I used the parts from the Italeri HMMWV TOW kit and to my surprise the hole in the Ontos hull is the same diameter as the cupola for the HMMWV TOW mount.  The HMMWV Tow cupola rotates without any issues.  I used some white glue to hold the parts together and managed to get a couple of images before it all came apart. 

******Edit to remove dead image links to FaceBook since I no longer have an active account. -- jjf

[GTX_Admin]

Woohoo!!!  This is promising.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Woohoo!!!  This is promising.

You betcha!  The entire cupola can rotate without interference.  While the parts from the Italeri HMMWV TOW vehicle are not the most detailed it was the easiest to get at so I can only hope that the other model companies interpretations of the HMMWV TOW vehicle are similar in dimensions but with the additional benefit of more details. 

[GTX_Admin]

Well, here's a different use...as shipboard artillery:



Click on picture for larger view.

[Rickshaw]

I don't think I'd like to be on the starboard side when all 18 tubes let loose!

[Weaver]

Matador models do a 1/76th Ontos if anyone fancies a braille-scale version. Pricey, but then it is resin and white metal:

http://www.matadormodels.co.uk/76a/lists.htm

1/72nd scale resin one:

http://www.okbgrigorov.com/R_AFV_1_72/M50A1/box%20M50A1%20Ontos.jpg

A company called Atlantic did an injection one in 1/72nd, but it's been out of production for ages although there do seem to be a few on ebay. Given that Atlantic's main production was toy soldiers in bendy plastic though, I'm not sure whether the Ontos is bendy or hard plastic.

[Weaver]

How about replacing the RRs with Hueycobra-style Quad TOWs, with armoured shields around them?

Why stop at TOWs! Go wild! LAU-10 (5in Zuni rockets) pods, LAU-3 (2.75in FFAR rockets) pods, Minigun, Vulcan, 40mm grenade launcher,..... 
Six LAU-10 pods in place of the recoilless rifles - that's 24 rockets in ready-to-launch position. Don't know whether that would work in terms of weight, but would look seriously awesome.

Regarding rockets, I did a bit of research. Weight-wise, you could probably get 4 x LAU-10 pods on one, but 6 might be pushing it. If you wanted to retain the Ontos look, 6 x 7-round FFAR pods would go a treat though, and would have a lower profile and four more rounds than 2 x 19-round pods.