Early, early in the planning stages here, but figured if I was going to get back into modeling, I might just as well do it in a, well, different way. Have been thinking about it for about a week and doing a bit of research, and I am thinking about scratch building an AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missile.
For:
#1 Important part of air combat. Everyone has seen them, but they're normally an afterthought on a model.
#2 Different subject. I'm pretty sure I've never seen one built before.
#3 Let's face it, the largest part of the missile is basically a straight tube.
Against:
#1 Not a lot of really detailed reference that I've found.
#2 Not sure the Air Force would care for me showing up at an airshow with a set of calipers to take detailed measurements...
(http://www.rocketryonline.com/jimball/jimball/sidewinder/view-1.gif)
May need some inspiration (and a lesson or two in basic resin casting should I go that direction on the front fins and some details) from you guys.
Mike
...and since someone might ask - I'm thinking maybe 1:1 scale...
Mike
I am sure you could get around some measurement issues. For one go to a museum instead of an airshow, might drawn less attention.
As to 1:1 at 9.5' transportation may be an issue. Yes, you could have it in two sections but then there is an issue with seam and no good spot to hide that. 1:2 would remove those issues.
Fine Scale Modeler had a supplement in one of their issues in the 2000s about the Sidewinder. I refer to it often in regards to variants, colors, and capabilities. The missile and understanding what is the right thing to put on an aircraft at a particular period of time is remarkably complex. No wonder so many modelers just stick with World War II.
Lee K
You're both right - although I was thinking 1:1 just for the outright shock value of it (and how cool would it look hanging over the fireplace?) I pretty regularly haul around my 14.5 foot kayak on the roof of the Subaru, so building a box for the missile shouldn't be too bad.
There are a LOT of different Sidewinders, and they vary a lot in appearance and dimensions. Think I'm going to stick with a modern "M" as that's what I'm most familiar with, that's what I've got a set of prints for - and probably most of all, because standard PVC pipe for the body is well within what I would consider acceptable dimensionally, for the body...
Call me crazy - you wouldn't be the first!
HI Mike,
Have you tried any model rocketry forums? Somebody on one of those might have some good info on the AIM-9. Not sure which forums are the good ones, those.
Ben
Quote from: BenB on Tue 11/30/10 12:49 PM
HI Mike,
Have you tried any model rocketry forums? Somebody on one of those might have some good info on the AIM-9. Not sure which forums are the good ones, those.
Ben
You've got the answer, Ben - the engineering drawings I've found (including the one at the top) are from a rocketry forum (http://www.rocketryonline.com/jimball/jimball/sidewinder/sidewinder.htm (http://www.rocketryonline.com/jimball/jimball/sidewinder/sidewinder.htm)). Where they got them, I have no idea, and I'm not going to ask (but they sure will be helpful...)
I've got some friends looking through their photos for more reference info, so the research stage is actually going pretty well.
My plan is to start with the forward control surfaces. Going to build one, and plan to attempt to 'clone' it, but we'll see how it goes. Here's what should be pretty close to a full sized drawing.
Mike
That will be pretty cool when it's done! You can paint yellow stripes on it, and have two guys carry it into a contest & act like they've got a live round. ;D
Ben
Quote from: BenB on Wed 12/01/10 04:24 PM
That will be pretty cool when it's done! You can paint yellow stripes on it, and have two guys carry it into a contest & act like they've got a live round. ;D
Ben
I don't know, the Air Force requires three to carry a 'Winder. You can certainly do it with two, but it wouldn't be a good thing if it was dropped (I know of one that was...)(no, I wasn't carrying it...)
My friend Lieuwe in the Netherlands sent over a photo of one a friend's father built:
I was thinking that if you built 2, you could mount one on either side of the roof rack on your car and drive around town. I wonder how long you could drive around Raleigh before you were stopped???
RonV
I think I'd want live ones to keep the fast lane clear. Fire a warning shot through somebody's radiator! ;)
Mike, the one in your friend's photo looks like it's ready to launch.
Ben
are we all going to be on the FBI or CIA watch list for having this discussion? just asking .clyde
naw, were good Clyde ;)
Unless the FBI or CIA would like to see a lot of plastic and putty! With any luck it'll end up looking pretty close to the real thing, but weighing substantially less than the real missile's 190 pounds should give it away...
Here's the basic shape of the forward control surface out of .080 sheet plastic (which which works out perfectly for the thickness to start off with, as all the actual edges are .040 radius.) I've laminated a sheet of .030 on both sides of my basic 'shape'. Next step is to build up a 'rib' along the ridgeline (marked on the fin) and then putty and sand to build up the final thickness of right around 1/3 of an inch.
My wife is just shaking her head. I think she'd hoped I'd 'shelve' this whole idea before I actually started...
Mike
Mike,
I know it's been awhile but when I saw this link, I thought of this thread.
http://www.rogerdodger.net/diyflightsims/aim-9_lamp.html
Maybe she will like the dual purpose missile.
I had forgotten about this thread. My first thought on seeing the lamp was to just build the last 3 ft or so of the missile, plant it nose-down in your front yard, and see what your neighbors do. Might be fun! :-)
Ben
What I find amazing about this thread, is that no one has mentioned alcohol yet. I figured the two would go together. ... and I don't mean as fuel for the missile. LOL
Having built and flown model rockets for years, if I remember right, Estes has a flying model of a Phoenix and Bullpup missile in roughly 1/3 scale, as well as an Honest John missle. The one I built was 4' tall.
Still got my launch system!!
Bill L.
That would be one heck of a conversation piece in a munitions (bb stacker) officer's office!:-)
Alcohol? Well, all I have to say to that is, "Why is the rum always gone?"
"Project 9" has actually been on hold for some time now, although it hasn't been put away completely (somewhat to my wife's dismay). Still working out some of the technical / build issues.
Mike