Actual Sounding Rockets or Small Missiles for rocket decor?

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pyrobob

pyrobob

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I would like to spice up my office a bit with some real soundings rockets or small missiles, just because it would look cool. Has anyone come across anything like this at auctions, ebay, pawn shops, etc.? Not looking for scale models, but rather the genuine article, or very close to it. I'm seen some guys on eBay moving ~60% Sidewinder kits, with the balance made up for by in house machining or 3D printing missing parts. While not ideal, it could possibly work, but they want around $4,000 to $5,000 for them, which seems steep for a cannibalized setup.

My short list would be an actual Arcas rocket, but I'm open so long as it looks cool. Anybody ever come across one of these by chance?

Thanks.
 
Makes me wonder what other sounding rockets are as small as an Arcas. 🤔
 
For scale:

Arcas.jpg
James-Van-Allen-holding-a-balloon-launched-Loki-Dart-payload-developed-at-Iowa-James-1.png
 
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If you have a military surplus store that carries vehicles, etc…you could call them and see if they have anything. I am not talking about the retail that sells old military cloths junk. At some of these places I have seen everything from empty bombs, morter shells, and small old (Korean war or older) rockets. You won’t find anything newer as that would be insanity. Depends on where you live where these places exist. In California I believe there is one up near Orville, CA. You would need to search for your state And for stores that sell ordinance…there are many online but don’t know if they still sell rockets.
 
pyrobob said:
I would like to spice up my office a bit with some real soundings rockets or small missiles, just because it would look cool. Has anyone come across anything like this at auctions, ebay, pawn shops, etc.? Not looking for scale models, but rather the genuine article, or very close to it. I'm seen some guys on eBay moving ~60% Sidewinder kits, with the balance made up for by in house machining or 3D printing missing parts. While not ideal, it could possibly work, but they want around $4,000 to $5,000 for them, which seems steep for a cannibalized setup.

My short list would be an actual Arcas rocket, but I'm open so long as it looks cool. Anybody ever come across one of these by chance?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I've got some "real" sounding rockets. They were used for weather research. You could duplicate them using 29mm phenolic. The hard part would be duplicating the electronics...

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/jasons-motor-porn-thread.130333/page-7#post-1531093
 
icyclops said:
If you have a military surplus store that carries vehicles, etc…you could call them and see if they have anything. I am not talking about the retail that sells old military cloths junk. At some of these places I have seen everything from empty bombs, morter shells, and small old (Korean war or older) rockets. You won’t find anything newer as that would be insanity. Depends on where you live where these places exist. In California I believe there is one up near Orville, CA. You would need to search for your state And for stores that sell ordinance…there are many online but don’t know if they still sell rockets.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tip icyclops!
 
pyrobob said:
Oh, cool, Sooner Boomer! What's the story on these??
Click to expand...
I was working at the National Severe Storms Laboratory, here in Norman, back about 2000/01. The guy I worked with pulled them out of storage. There was a crate of boosters, and a box with several other boosters and payloads. There are two types of booster/payloads - the ones where the payload sits on top of the booster, and a set where the payloads fit inside the boosters. The payloads measure air pressure, temperature, humidity, and GPS. They transmit on the 400MHz band for meterological research. I *think* the payloads were made by AIR, and the boosters by FSI. The motors were not stored properly, and were old when I got them. We fired a couple of the motors; they chuffed a lot before finally lighting. The payloads aren't in very good shape, either, having been handled over the past twenty years.
 
Sooner Boomer said:
I was working at the National Severe Storms Laboratory, here in Norman, back about 2000/01. The guy I worked with pulled them out of storage. There was a crate of boosters, and a box with several other boosters and payloads. There are two types of booster/payloads - the ones where the payload sits on top of the booster, and a set where the payloads fit inside the boosters. The payloads measure air pressure, temperature, humidity, and GPS. They transmit on the 400MHz band for meterological research. I *think* the payloads were made by AIR, and the boosters by FSI. The motors were not stored properly, and were old when I got them. We fired a couple of the motors; they chuffed a lot before finally lighting. The payloads aren't in very good shape, either, having been handled over the past twenty years.
Click to expand...
Cool story, thanks for sharing!
 
There are all kinds of listings for Sidewinders on E-bay. From about 135$ for a functioning Rolleron to 10,000$ for a full up missile. There are a bunch of full sized models in the 2,500$ to 6,000$ range.


Andrew
 
Yeah, I noticed that, too. I'll probably pick some things up and would like a complete Sidewinder, but they are very expensive for what they are. For example, some parts are 3d printed, others machined, and others actual components. It's a mix and match and $5k+, thats a big ask to me. Thought I saw someone with one of these on the the NAR Tripoli Facebook page but I can't find it now. Anybody know whi that was, or have experience with these?
 
nice decoration rocket
8qA5aLr.jpg
 
Given half a chance, I'd like to have a couple of inert AIM-9s (launchable 1/1 scale HPRs) in my place... And while I'm at it, an inert MK-82 Snakeye or two, as well as a MK106 and a BDU33 Practice bomb. Just as reminders of my days as a weapons loader.

I did buy a set of authentic fins for the Sidewinder project... Safely being stored under mom's house.
 
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Are not the Enerjet 1340 and its variants "real" sounding rockets?

Or if you want something bigger, the 2650 series?
 
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Funkworks said:
Makes me wonder what other sounding rockets are as small as an Arcas. 🤔
Click to expand...
Black Brant VI/VII. 4.7" diameter, 9'2" tall. That's almost as small as an Arcas. OK, it'd have to lie down in most people's houses.

From astronautix.com, the Arcas was 7'6" long and 4.3" in diameter, and could launch a 9.9 lb payload to 32 miles. Am I wrong; isn't that an order of magnitude greater altitude than we amateurs can get with a rocket of that size? I mean, we (collectively) have basically the same propellants, we know aerodynamics, we use sophisticated materials and construction methods, so how do they manage to to ten times better than us?
 
A few in basement.
Viper 3A (basically a 5” Loki) and a a Loki.
Chaff Dart for a Loki. Early flat base without boat tail.
I had another complete Loki and dart. The fins had the "shoes" to launch from a Naval gun. I gave it to someone.


79729C48-D766-4486-AEBB-0EC67A0C67FB.jpeg

BB2C3FB1-6498-4D12-8CEA-7C30292B4D87.jpeg
 

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