Nike Ajax Launcher/Erector

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SpaceRanger1

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I'm looking for plans/scale drawings of the Nike Ajax launcher/erector in order to build a 1/72 model of same. Any leads/help appreciated. Thanks.
 
Not to get your hopes up, but I did a small bit of work on an Ajax launcher a while back. In OpenSCAD, didn't get much beyond the rail. Dimensions were just estimated off of photos. I do intend to continue work on it sometime, but can't promise anything.

2020-03-28 13_35_43-Window.jpg
 
Looking at what I'd done before, I realized that it was only a concept sketch; I really hadn't tried to scale off the photos with any fidelity. I got the 'bug' to fiddle with it and now what I have is fairly accurate with much more detail. Still only the rail though. The rest of the launcher is a challenge because there are pretty much zero right angles in it anywhere.

2020-03-29 01_52_04-NA Launcher.scad_ - OpenSCAD.jpg
 
:popcorn:

Subscribed! That is beautiful work Gary!

One of my favorite missiles of all time... I have thought about doing a scale launcher for an HP version, but thought is as far as it ever got!:oops:
 
When you get it all done can you share the STL's this would be a great unit to 3d print? Very nice work btw!
 
Tonight added the lift arm and piston, some of the equipment boxes, and more flanges... The 'T' bars on the lift arm are highly undersized at the moment. In case you don't know, the main element of the lower section of the T bar is a section of railroad track. Wheels in the upper section of the bar allow the entire launch rail and missile to roll sideways. The two frame 'wings' that extend to the sides are where a truss section with more railroad track is attached. This allows a missile to be loaded at one end of a set of parallel launchers and rolled from launcher-to-launcher.

2020-03-31 02_12_17-NA Launcher.scad_ - OpenSCAD.jpg
So how 'scale' is it? I'm afraid I don't have one in my back yard that I can go measure. But I do have a good set of launcher photos that have a scale in some of them. And another set that shows some awesome detail. That's mainly why I choose this style of Nike Ajax launcher (there are at least three). The scale in the photos was good for many of the smaller dimensions but no help for the long horizontal axis. For those dimensions, I have the dimensioned drawings of the Ajax. Comparing the measured points on the Ajax to matching horizontal points on the launcher, I can transfer pretty good major dimensions to the launcher.

And if you weren't aware of it, I have the Nike-Ajax modeled in this thread.
 
Still fiddling with it. Added a bunch of new bits in this area. I was really pleased with the bracket at bottom center. I'd looked at this for several days wondering what its function could be - and then it hit me. The rear legs fold forward for transport - a small bracket on the bottom of the leg engages with this bracket so that it can be latched in place. (and I just noticed where that bracket still needs work)

2020-04-04 00_01_35-NA Launcher.scad_ - OpenSCAD.jpg
nike20.jpg
 
Interesting that the launcher had a pneumatic system installed for the lift system, the picture in your post #11 shows a truck style glad hand (air brake connector) and the lines lead to what looks to be a pressure regulator and reservoir tank.
 
That launcher looks terrific. I really prefer this launcher to the other one. This is the way I remember the launcher in plastic models and old movies. I remember back in the 50's they had these Nike bases installed in the northern suburbs around Chicago waiting for the bomber attack that fortunately never happened.
 
Interesting that the launcher had a pneumatic system installed for the lift system, the picture in your post #11 shows a truck style glad hand (air brake connector) and the lines lead to what looks to be a pressure regulator and reservoir tank.

That's neet - I never knew the term 'glad-hand'. Knowing what it is/does always makes it easier to model. I'd have thought it was hydraulic but with that tank and connectors, pneumatic makes sense. There are two more glad-hand connectors at the front of the launcher.
 
The little chain dangling from the glad hand should be for a safety pin to prevent them from being pulled apart accidently. It also makes sense to me as the launcher erectors were stored under ground and it would be fast and easy to connect air supply lines even high pressure ones rather than hydraulic.
 
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