MIM-104 Patriot Missile Battery & Working Transport Launcher Vehicle(Heller 48th PMC)

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Micromeister

Micro Craftman/ClusterNut
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I Hope I'm not the only one who gets a wild idea in their head, starts to do something with it, hits a bad spot or confounding problem area only to set the "Project" aside for awhile to think about it.

Such is the case with this PMC model conversion. May 1993 I saw a couple REALLY KEWL plastic models hit the market. ARII A681-2000 1:48th Patriot Missile Battery w/ Transport launcher and ARII #A688-2400 Scub-B Missile with launcher, each about 30 bucks but WAY to Kewl not to buy. When they arrived from Squadron things were kind of busy and both got logged in but shelved and almost forgotting about until April of 2003. In 2003 Heller came out with a Patriot Missile Battery in 1:48th scale #81138 which I scarffed up without remembering the other models setting in the shead...This was However AFTER micro maxx motors had become my favorite motor size!

When the Heller model arrived I immediately opened the box and examined the Patroit missile parts to see if it would be possilbe to Micro Maxx PMC convert this little missile. With an OD of .325" I was pretty sure this one could be Micro convertable.
Due to what I thought might be too thin a styrene wall to be filled out I decided to try just making the ID large enough to pass the MMX-1 motors. went through some other necessary additions motor block, shock line, Teflon plumbers tape streamer, and rolling a cardstock shoulder that would fit the ID of the slightly filed body. Hollowed out the cast plastic nosecone and added what I imagined would be more then enough nose weight. Added a couple tiny 1/16" x 1/16" launch lugs drilled out to fit my .049" stainless steel launch rods and we were set for a test flight or two accross the street in the park next to my house. First Test flight was in the morning of July 05, 2003. a bit tail wobble but ok until ejection which split the body plastic..Crud. Back to the shop for a quick MC repair a little more ID body filing and back to the park by mid afternoon. Flight #2 07-05-2003. a little breezier and the model seemed less stable on the way up almost neutral stability??? at ejection BANG! again splitting the plastic body along the manufactured seam lines.
A bit Miffed that the model would not stand-up to the ejection charge the tiny patriot was placed on a dowel and remained there until late last month.
While cleaning up the rocket dungeon before the grandkids visit I happened to notice the Tiny Patriot missile sitting there in flat white primer still split down one side. I said: Self! If I can't find a way to thin out the sytrene body to accept a standard T2+ tube I might as will chuck this silly thing!

April 20, 2015: After the Kids visit..what a blessing they are! I took the little model upstairs to sit watching TV while carefully hand round filing out the tiny missile body. I really believed I'd break through the plastic long before the .281" OD tube passed though the styrene body. but after about 3hours believe it or not I got the standard T2+ tube in.
I needed to do a little internal and external CA filling of breaks and minor flight melting damage but after a couple extra hours the little airframe looked almost like new:)

I rough sanded the OD with 220 grit to get some of the mis-fitting plastic off the Nosecone section, and added Scale side wireways which were for some reason not models by Heller?

Here are a couple pics of the second flight test and the re-worked Patriot after getting the T2+ epoxy installed, adding a new spent motor casing motor stop, 49strand Stainless steel shockline anchor and 28" of 70lb kevlar shock-line. Reused the origianl 1/2" x 10" white teflon plumbers tape streamer/wadding.
A current swing test with a new MM-II motor showed the model was still on the iffy side using only the tiny scale fins. So a few more #9 lead shot where added to the Nose.
The kit called for theater markings and colors which I did not want to use. I planned all along to make this little model match the Prototype Red-White & Black scheme. This ment some custome decal making and more painting.
these will show in the next post.
But it doesn't stop with this little missile.... we want to eventually launch from the model missile launch transport vehicle. More to come....

MM 413uc01a_Patriot Missile Battery_48th (Heller#81138@29.98) _04-20-03.JPG

MM 413p02_Patriot missile (MIM104)_00.jpg

MM 413Lp02a-sm_Patriot PMC_2nd TEST flight_07-05-03.jpg

MM 413uc02_Patroit MIM-104 Missile, Primer Sanded_04-22-15.jpg
 
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Finish 3 color painting the Patriot took a couple days making the striping Blk decals and two color antenna decals another day.
Here it is finish before and after Pledge with future.

Next we started on the wheeled Vehicle. Since this part was pretty much a straight Plastic model construction I didn't take a lot of assemble photos. After assembly the model was 3 color camouflage hand painted before an overall UV Matte clear coat.

Our photos are a little out of order as the basic wheeled vehicle and the stacked missile tube assemblies are seperate units. To use one of the 4 tubes as an actual Launch tube I need to workout a way to protect the styrene interior from the exhaust heat, as well as making a way to blow exhaust out the rear as is done in the real vehicle.
We'll look more at this process a little later.

For now we have a working flyable MMX 1:48th scale Patriot:)

MM 413uc03a_MIM-104 Patriot Missile decaled (L)_04-22-15.jpg

MM 413uc03b_MIM-104 Patriot Missile Stats Complete_04-22-15.jpg

MM 413uc05_MIM-104 Patriot_Transport BaseCamo_05-07-15.jpg
 
.
To use one of the 4 tubes as an actual Launch tube I need to workout a way to protect the styrene interior from the exhaust heat, as well as making a way to blow exhaust out the rear as is done in the real vehicle.
We'll look more at this process a little later.

Maybe line the launch cell with thin balsa covered with metal foil tape, I can't see a MMX motor producing enough heat for long enough to burn through or heat it too severly and the balsa would act as rigid insulation for the styrene.
 
Maybe line the launch cell with thin balsa covered with metal foil tape, I can't see a MMX motor producing enough heat for long enough to burn through or heat it too severly and the balsa would act as rigid insulation for the styrene.

Well your on the right track.
There is absolutely NO room for any thickness of balsa inside along the Launch cell walls and still allow the model to fly with it's tiny fixed fins.
What I did was line the interior with Stainless Steel adhesive backed tape. Which I've used on other A thru D BP motor heat dispersings projects with great success. This material is very thin .002" Stainless steel sheet with a VHB .002" acrylic permanent adhesive. As a baseplate/deflector I laminated .125" Basswood with 22ga. Stainless steel with a CA soaked T2++ exhaust port. To ensure stability a .049"
x 9" Stainless Launch rod has been permanently mounted to the 22ga stainless base and the Bass/Stainless base/rod assembly is epoxy installed in the bottom of the open launch tube cell.

The Heller model has the Open Launch tube placed on top. I reversed it putting the active tube Cell on the bottom of the Left two cell stack. this allow to connection wires to the igniter to be connected closer to the vehicle base while still allowing some rotational movement as well as Up/down elevation adjustment. Even at the models maximum full up stack elevation the model can't get close to the needed 30deg from vertical for model rocket launching so once the model is mounted on it's diorama base will be fitted with a 1/4-20 threaded insert to allow the entire approximately 12" Square base to be attached to a Camera Tri-pod launcher the can be tilted to get the launch rod to very near vertical.

Full size Patriot missiles Blasts through foam forward and aft seals for their factory sealed container Launcher Cells. At this moment I'm thinking of using a single layer or pre-punched Flameproof wadding sheet (which is already a light tan) to simulate these closures on the working launcher tube. One will be placed over the T2++ (.316"OD) exhaust port and the other over the open front of the cell around the Launch rod.

After all fitting the 4 cell launcher stack was permanently mounted on the trailer, All the tiny decals applied and the entire section given a last UV resistant Matte clear coat. All I need now is to shape and detail the base board diorama and build the clear acrylic protective cover. Once I get around to building the diorama base I'll post a couple photos of the completed laucher base/model combination.

MM 413uc04a_MIM-104 Patriot Missile_Launcher St.Stl. Lining_05-05-15.JPG

MM 413uc04b_MIM-104 Patriot Launcher Rod & Holder_05-05-15.JPG

MM 413uc04c_MIM-104 Patriot_LanunchTube Rod Holder (St.Stl & Bass)_05-05-15.JPG

MM 413uc04d_MIM-104 Patriot_Laminate St.Stl&Wood Base_05-05-15.JPG

MM 413uc04e_MIM-104 Patriot_Launcher Deflector&Rodbase_05-05-15.JPG

MM 413uc04f_MIM-104 Patriot_Rod in St.Stl Base_05-05-15.JPG

MM 413uc06a_MIM-104 Patriot Battery&Missile Decaled Complete_05-08-15.jpg

MM 413uc06c_MIM-104 Patriot & Working Launcher Raised(L)_05-08-15.jpg

MM 413uc06d_MIM-104 Patriot Battery Rear_05-08-15.JPG
 
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Thanks
I've started the tri-pod attachment Diorama base. Waiting for the desert Sand/matte medium mixture to dry (will take days to perhaps a week) before I can mount and wire the MIM-104 Patriot Launcher/Transporter. Have the measurements to cut and glue up the clear acrylic cover but haven't felt like digging out the sheet.

In the mean time I've opened and started the second phase, a ARII 1:48th Scud-B R-17 Soviet Missile with Transport launcher. I'll start another thread for this one as well but it is not going to be a micro powered model, the Scud-B has a just slightly smaller interior then a BT-20. Actually the Scud fits perfectly AR-5-20 centering rings so it will be set up for 13mm A3-4t or A10-3T motors. This will likely mean I will not be able to fly it directly from the Transporter Launcher but will set it up so the model will fly from a standard 1/8" stainless steel launch rod mounted in the 1 x 8+/- wood base which will also have a desert real Sand covering and hopefully use the provided launcher stand on the rear of the vehicle. I'll likely line the rear mounted stand & deflector with the same Stainless steel tape used on the Patriot Launcher tube interior.
Should be fun to be able to set-up both sides on opposite sides of the Launch range flying the Scub-B first, chasing it with the patriot:)
Later!
Will post one or two pics shortly, before starting a new thread over in the Low power forum. along with 3 other Standard 13 & 18mm motor PMC's i've been working on F-104's in 1:72nd & 1:48th scales and a Saab AJ37 Viggen 1:100th scale.

695uc07_Scud-B R17 Transp-Launcher & Missile no Decals_05-23-15.jpg
 
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got the last of the completed Patriot Missile system and Launcher photos out of the camera with the Clear Acrylic Cover along with the same scale 1:48th Scud-B R-17 Missile System.
I've stacked both for portablilty should be KEWL launching both from camera Tripods on opposite sides of the launch range. A3-4T or A10-3T in the Scud and a MMX-II in the Patriot.
Going into Radiation Theropy sometime this week or next so I doubt I'll be attending another launch until about August so it may be some time before I can post Launch picture.

MM 413uc08a_BrokenWoodBaseAfter Oven Drying_06-01-15.JPG

MM 413uc08b_WoodBase saved with Epoxy fillets_06-01-15.JPG

MM 413uc09_MIM-104 Patriot Diorama Base& Cl-Cover_06-01-15.JPG

MM 413uc10a_MIM-104 Patroit System on Diorama Base_06-02-15.jpg

MM 413uc10b_MIM-104 Patroit System on Diorama_06-02-15.jpg

MM 413uc11a_MIM-104 Patroit System Diorama & Cover_06-05-15.jpg

MM 413uc11b_Patriot & Scud-B Diorama Stack & Strap_06-05-15.jpg

MM 413uc11c_Patriot & Scud-B Diorama Stack,Strap&Handle_06-05-15.jpg

MM 413uc11d_Patriot & Scud-B Diorama Stack,Strap&Handle Side_06-05-15.jpg
 
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That looks awesome Micro! You've done the Patriot proud!
Best of luck with the Radiation Therapy, and Thoughts and Prayers sent.
 
Finish 3 color painting the Patriot took a couple days making the striping Blk decals and two color antenna decals another day.
Here it is finish before and after Pledge with future.

Next we started on the wheeled Vehicle. Since this part was pretty much a straight Plastic model construction I didn't take a lot of assemble photos. After assembly the model was 3 color camouflage hand painted before an overall UV Matte clear coat.

Our photos are a little out of order as the basic wheeled vehicle and the stacked missile tube assemblies are seperate units. To use one of the 4 tubes as an actual Launch tube I need to workout a way to protect the styrene interior from the exhaust heat, as well as making a way to blow exhaust out the rear as is done in the real vehicle.
We'll look more at this process a little later.

For now we have a working flyable MMX 1:48th scale Patriot:)

I am building my Patriot, please tell me what witchcraft you used to create that beautiful paint job. It looks nail-polish like, covered in nail polish gloss.
 
I am building my Patriot, please tell me what witchcraft you used to create that beautiful paint job. It looks nail-polish like, covered in nail polish gloss.

Hi Bill: Thanks I thought it turned out fairly well:
Really no magic at all. All my micros are primed and painted in exactly that same way my standard and MPR size models are finished.
I Start with the Cheapest (Grey,Brown or Black) Auto primer I can lay my hands on. Currently That is Wal-Marts ColorPlus Brand. This is applied in three wet coats about 1minute between coats they allowed to cure overnight. Dry sand with 220-360 grit sandpaper. If I hit raw bodytube or wood before all the Grain or Seam lines are filled a second 2-3 primer coats are applied. Repeat the overnight cure, then finish sand with 360grit. Pick and apply the base color coat, allow to completely (Sniff Test ) dry. then mask and apply whatever other colors are required working from lightest to darkest with metallics applied last. All my models currently are mostly Rattle can spray painted, occasionally I use an airbrush but for the most part all rattle can. All manufactures and brands except new formula Krylon which doesn't even like itself in multi color paint schemes. I do not recommend overcoating with any Rattle Can clear coat as they all become brittle on cureing which allow them to be damaged easily by handling, in transport and on landings. My preferred protective clear coating is paper towel mop applied "Pledge with Future for tile floors" or After all detail painting and decals two coats of Nu-Finish Polymer. The Patriot is finished with a single coat of Pledge with Future.
 
Weird. I usually do the same thing, if there are fillets fill them up, sand it down, coats of primer, sanded with 240 grit, 3-4 light coats of paint until covered, never too much paint, and a layer of gloss. It never turns out as good as yours. I usually do solid in places, and I never overlap different paints, if I do, which is something I may be planning to do with a G-Force in the near future, I will take your advice.
 
Weird. I usually do the same thing, if there are fillets fill them up, sand it down, coats of primer, sanded with 240 grit, 3-4 light coats of paint until covered, never too much paint, and a layer of gloss. It never turns out as good as yours. I usually do solid in places, and I never overlap different paints, if I do, which is something I may be planning to do with a G-Force in the near future, I will take your advice.

One of the best things to take care of the "Paint Dam" problem is to remove these masking lines with 3m Finessit-II polishing agent. This is not a sanding compound but a super fine grade liquid that when used with a damp cloth and a little water will feather out the overlapping paint seam to where it is not preceivable under a coat of Future or wax. Some care must be used as it does remove a very small amount of paint during the process. 3M Finessit-II is not the marine grade material which is exceptionally expensive. Bottle shown below.
 
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