Bloodhound TEL

[Claymore]

As I already had the plans drawn up, I feel justified in calling this one an work in progress although no actual building had taken place.

A Bloodhound 2 missile Transporter, Erector and Launcher (TEL) is what I am heading towards.  However, as I'm sure you are all only too well aware Bloodhound kits are few and very far between and, as far as I am aware, non-existent in 1/35 scale.  So it's back to the scratch build farm for me.  A selection of knitting needles has provided me with the basic tubular building blocks but they are far from resembling anything remotely missile like. 

[Claymore]

Work is progressing nicely on the knitting needle monster and as you can see it is now looking a little more like the component parts of a Bloodhound 2 missile -which is just as well as that is what I am aiming for.

Lots of reshaping, filler, sanding and filing required. Oh and top tip for the week - don't put knitting needles into a pencil sharpener, it's not pretty! 

The missile (1/35 scale) is going to be big - approx 24cm in length. So considerably longer than most AFVs!!!

[GTX_Admin]

Cool!

[Dr. YoKai]

 I'm digging this on from the git-go. The Bloodhound is a neat missile, and I expect this will be a great presentation.

[PR19_Kit]

KNITTING needles? My brain hurts but it looks like you're making good progress.

I'll drag out my Airfix Bloodhound for visual comparison later on.

[Claymore]

KNITTING needles? My brain hurts but it looks like you're making good progress.

I'll drag out my Airfix Bloodhound for visual comparison later on.

Interestingly, I am not sure what variant the Airfix Bloodhound is supposed to be.  It sits on a Mk 1 launcher but has Mk 2 tail-fins and the shorter Mk 1 rear wings.  It also looks a little on the short side to be a Mk 2 and does not have the small fin on top of the upper Thor ramjet or the widened rear to the ramjets characteristic of the Mk 2. Any chance of you measuring its length as that will tell me straight away what Mk it is supposed to be (Mk 1 - 7.7m, Mk 2 - 8.45m).

[Claymore]

Happy New Year one and all!

[PR19_Kit]

KNITTING needles? My brain hurts but it looks like you're making good progress.

I'll drag out my Airfix Bloodhound for visual comparison later on.

Interestingly, I am not sure what variant the Airfix Bloodhound is supposed to be.  It sits on a Mk 1 launcher but has Mk 2 tail-fins and the shorter Mk 1 rear wings.  It also looks a little on the short side to be a Mk 2 and does not have the small fin on top of the upper Thor ramjet or the widened rear to the ramjets characteristic of the Mk 2. Any chance of you measuring its length as that will tell me straight away what Mk it is supposed to be (Mk 1 - 7.7m, Mk 2 - 8.45m).

I'll see if I can dig it out and measure it for you. I saw it only a week ago so it can't be buried THAT deeply.  :)

[taiidantomcat]

Brilliant idea with the knitting needles! I need to get some of those myself!  :)

[Claymore]

...and the latest. Having managed to sand/file most of my finger tips off and sent my neck into spasm twice, it's pretty much situation normal so far. I'm going to fit the ramjets next...

[The Big Gimper]

...and the latest. Having managed to sand/file most of my finger tips off and sent my neck into spasm twice, it's pretty much situation normal so far. I'm going to fit the ramjets next...

From needles to nukes.

Good work and a great source of parts for future projects. What glue did you use?

[Claymore]

From needles to nukes.

Good work and a great source of parts for future projects. What glue did you use?

Thanks.  To my great surprise and relief, normal liquid glue for plastic kits (Revell in this case) works perfectly well.  Although, I did have to use a spot of super glue on the nozzles of the boosters as there were more of a polythene plastic (golf tees in fact).

[PR19_Kit]

I found my Airfix Bloodhound kit, it was confusing me by being on the TOP of a pile of other model boxes....

The missile body is 94 mm long, equivalant to 7144 mm in 1/76 scale, which it purports to be. I guess that makes it a Mk 1, even if it's a tad short, but that length doesn't include the cross shaped support bracket for the boosters which is attached to the rear of the missile body.

Odd that they included this at 1/76 scale in the 1/72 scale initial C-130K Hercules kit.

[Claymore]

I found my Airfix Bloodhound kit, it was confusing me by being on the TOP of a pile of other model boxes....

The missile body is 94 mm long, equivalant to 7144 mm in 1/76 scale, which it purports to be. I guess that makes it a Mk 1, even if it's a tad short, but that length doesn't include the cross shaped support bracket for the boosters which is attached to the rear of the missile body.

Odd that they included this at 1/76 scale in the 1/72 scale initial C-130K Hercules kit.

Thanks for looking it out, but it does now answer the question.  The length of 7.7m is from the tip of the nose to end of the booster fins so that may explain the slight shortfall.  Re the different scales it does seem a little odd.  No doubt somebody somewhere thought that no-one would notice the difference - guess they didn't factor in the Bloodhound Ninjas. 

[Claymore]

...and another couple of pics to keep the juices flowing... 

[PR19_Kit]

That's looking REALLY good, no way would you figure it's made from knitting needles. 

[Daryl J.]

Fun!

[Modelling_Mushi]

Calymore, its looking good

...  A selection of knitting needles has provided me with the basic tubular building blocks but they are far from resembling anything remotely missile like ...

Gotta disagree with the above, if you knew my Gran you'd be as scared of these things as I am 

[Claymore]

That's looking REALLY good, no way would you figure it's made from knitting needles. 

Fun!

Calymore, its looking good

Gotta disagree with the above, if you knew my Gran you'd be as scared of these things as I am 

Thanks chaps, the support and encouragement is much appreciated.  :) 
Beware Grans with knitting needles! 

[Claymore]

I had to think long and hard as to how to get the boosters positioned, as they do not sit at right angles to each other, and how to get them to sit steady enough for the glue to set. Answer - build a mounting rig which holds the missile vertical and the booster fins in the correct alignment.

I think there now be a Bloodhound in ma hoose! 

[GTX_Admin]

Idea:  Vertical launched (from ship) Bloodhound.

[Claymore]

Me thinks said ship would have to have a pretty robust hull! 

[Dr. YoKai]

RN carriers had armored decks, and we were scratching around for new roles for the King George V class
awhile back...

That looks great, Claymore - you ought to build a second one and shop it around as a master pattern.
The modelling world needs more missiles in all scales, and SAMs seem especially underrepresented.

[Claymore]

The simple fact is that you can never have too much of a good thing and so why build one Bloodhound when you can build two at the same time?

There is still some detailing to go on both but I just couldn't help myself from blabbing.  It also explains the excessive number of knitting needles. 

Incidentally, both are destined for the Bloodhound TEL kitbash - along the lines of the SA-4 Ganef.

[Claymore]

Here is the latest on the Bloodhound TEL project. As you can see I have started on the vehicle itself. I have extended the M110 hull and added an additional road-wheel and rear idler. This will now mean that the missiles do not overhang excessively. Interestingly, the extended M110 comes out at just about the same size as the SA-4 Ganef's TEL.

All the launcher gubbins still has to be constructed; but I have a cunning plan Baldrick...